Rememory
by Hanyou Lothuial
Summary: Chap 23 up! 5th Kokitsune saga. An evil presence from the past wants Kurama and Kohana dead. One by one the hanyou's friends are struck down. Called back in time, Chitsuko must face the most terrifying and dangerous ordeal of her life...if she can last...
1. Prologue The New Disturbance

Well here we are, the fifth and final saga of Kokitsune.  
  
Ten months ago I never thought I'd be here.  
  
In March of 2003, on a Saturday afternoon devoid of schoolwork and company, I sat down at my iMac to write. I had the biggest desire to write a Yu Yu Hakusho related something, but what that something would be, I did not know. After thinking for a long time, I placed my hands on the keyboard and let my fingers do the rest.  
  
One word appeared on the screen:  
  
"Kurama"  
  
So this fic was going to be about Kurama, was it? I kept typing.  
  
A woman made her way into my story. The female kitsune youko we know as Misao. Then another name. Jekku. Her lover. A human. Then the story of their doomed love affair and the fruit of their passion.  
  
And Hanyou Kohana made her way into my story.  
  
After writing the prologue, I let it sit for a while. I remember, two days later, I was on the phone with a friend of mine. I read the prologue to her, and she immediately told me to continue the story. To finish it. So later that week I pumped out the first two chapters of what soon became saga one of the Kokitsune series.  
  
I hit a rut with my main character's name. I knew she was a girl, wavy golden-brown hair, blue-gray eyes not unlike my own (my hair is chocolate brown with faded red highlights, and very short; when it was longer it was wavy and if I had died it golden I would've looked like her). She would be strong-willed, intelligent, independent, able to take care of herself, energetic, with a sharp tongue and a big heart. A bit tomboyish, in a way. (I feel that it is in this aspect that she resembles myself for am I all of the above along with "hyperactive.") But she had no name. Searching through old folders and journals of mine, I found a manga of my own creation, long forgotton and abandoned. Desperate to find a name quickly so I could continue with my story, I picked the name from that book that sounded the cutest.  
  
"Chitsuko"  
  
Chit-chan.  
  
Halfway through Kokitsune I decided I wanted a sequel. That would be Rememory, the story you're about to read now. But I felt that I could do more. Shortly after completing Kokitsune, I picked up Deliverance. I knew Chitsuko would be sent away to work in Makai for a long time, then return to Ningenkai for a whole new adventure. Another friend of mine was devastated when I told her that I wouldn't be chronicling Chitsuko's time in Makai, and so I planned Revival. But it was halfway through Revival that I discovered a new character and an idea creating itself in the back of my mind. I left it unattended for a while, and it grew so out of hand that I sat down with a stack of loose leaf paper one night and outlined the rough draft of what became Liability.  
  
Around that time I was left with three plot lines, each one going in a completely different direction. How would I tie them all together and in to Chitsuko and Hanyou Kohana's past?  
  
And then the pieces all fell into place, and the Kokitsune Series was born.  
  
I realize that the last four sagas have left a lot unexplained. But do not fret, dear reader. This one explains them all.  
  
And now, the fifth and final saga in Chitsuko's own story, Rememory.  
  
Read it with your hearts.  
  
Forever yours,  
  
~Lexi-chan~  
  
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Prologue: Peace at Last - The New Disturbance  
  
"At LAST... Maybe now we'll be able to get through the next millennia without a disturbance!"  
  
The toddler sunk back into the soft red cushion of his chair, breathing a sigh of relief. The Reiki Tantei's missions had been completed; their jobs were over. The most powerful demons and threats to the Three Worlds had been successfully stopped and destroyed. Ningenkai, Makai, and Reikai were now enjoying perfect order and serenity.  
  
The last of Koenma and King Enma's worries had been extinguished less than a week ago. Chitsuko Ichihara, the Spirit Detective assigned to Makai as punishment for breaking several Reikai laws, had stopped a dangerous revolt of the Shinobi tribes that could have resulted in a full-out war. The half-human heroine had killed their leader and freed the tribe from his mind control spell, saving the Shinobi's reputation and a whole host of innocent youkai who had met them in battle. The girl had departed for Ningenkai mere hours ago, more than ready to return home.  
  
He chuckled happily and sat up, pulling his chair closer to his desk and reaching for his stamp. The paperwork had slowed down considerably as well, providing more time for the young Reikai ruler to spend on himself. King Enma's job remained as busy as always, but now he didn't have to worry about renegade demons running about and threatening his authority.  
  
Koenma's office doors slid open and Jorge the oni scurried in, carrying an unmarked videocassette. "Koenma-sama!" he cried, waving the tape in the air. "Koenma-sama!"  
  
The toddler glanced up from his paperwork. "What is it?"  
  
"We just received this from the Makai monitors on level two," he said, running over to the table beside the office's video screen, where a small VCR sat. "We don't know what to make of it, sir."  
  
The oni pushed the tape in and pressed play, then stood back. The screen flicked on. The static cleared to reveal one of the lush green forests of Makai, stretching for hundreds of miles in every direction. Above the thick canopy of leaves, small points of blue and red light flickered here and there, bursting in small bright explosions and then disappearing. They remained lit for only a second before fizzling out.  
  
"Those aren't natural, sir," Jorge said, turning to his master. "What could they be?"  
  
The toddler seemed to be thinking hard. "I'm not sure..."  
  
"Should we show them to King Enma?"  
  
Koenma waved the suggestion off. "Naaaah. No use bothering my father with trivial stuff like this. I bet it's just a few demons duking it out down there. Nothing to worry about."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Positive."  
  
The blue oni shrugged and ejected the tape. He crossed over to his master and set it down on his desk. "You should still keep it. Just in case it turns about to be something important."  
  
"Yeah. Right." The toddler rolled his eyes, promptly dropping the tape into one of the desk's bottom drawers and slamming it shut without another thought. 


	2. Chapter 1 Chitsuko's Return

You can bet those were not ordinary twinkly lights. ^^;; No sir...  
  
Another poem from Lobo-chan!  
  
"Kokitsune: strong, sweet, and kind.  
  
But to be fooled be her looks is obviously to be blind.  
  
She'll make the best of everything  
  
And charge until she dies.  
  
But I wouldn't want to be the one  
  
that beats her friends to make her cry.  
  
Hanyou Kohana: A true, blue friend  
  
She'll fight for you until the end.  
  
But don't get caught in her carefree passion  
  
'Cause then you'll be beaten in a  
  
Most unpleasant fashion.  
  
So the moral of this story  
  
It's simple, plain, right.  
  
Don't make a kitsune mad  
  
Or You'll die before the fall of night."  
  
Arigatou, Lobo-chan! I love these! ;D  
  
And now... The moment you've all been waiting for... =^^=  
  
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Chapter 1: Chitsuko's Return  
  
"Shuichi... Shuichi, honey, wake up!"  
  
Eyes of emerald grin slowly fluttered open. Fighting the remainder of his fatigue, the aftermath of his all-night vigil, Kurama sat up in bed, letting the covers fall off his lithe figure to collect in his lap. He ran his fingers through his long red hair and called out, "I'm awake, 'kaasan."  
  
Shiori Minamino gently opened the door and smiled sadly at her son. "You've overslept again. You look tired..." She crossed over to the bed and pressed a soft palm to her eldest son's forehead. "You're not sick..." The woman sat beside him and tilted her head slightly to look him in eyes. "Is something wrong, Shiuchi?"  
  
"I..." Kurama looked down at his puffy blue comforter, his hands clenching folds of the fabric. Yes, he though to himself. Something is wrong. Something is terribly wrong...  
  
His human mother's eyes softened. "You miss her, don't you?"  
  
At once his eyes flicked up towards her face. It was uncanny how she always seemed to know exactly what he was feeling. He nodded weakly and bowed his head. "Yes..."  
  
Shiori affectionately smoothed down her son's hair and sighed. "I miss her too. Three years, and we haven't heard from her. I hope she's alright..." She smiled and sat back to study her son's face once more. "You really seemed to love her..."  
  
After nearly four years of avoiding it out of fear, four years of hiding it out of uncertainty, he knew he had to come to terms with it. Unable to keep it locked inside his heart, not wanting to keep it a secret anymore, he closed his eyes and answered, "And I still do."  
  
Shiori's smile remained in place and she leaned over to kiss her son on the cheek. "I know you still do." As she left the room, she called over her shoulder. "We ate breakfast a while ago, but I'll whip you up something. How does eggs and toast sound?"  
  
"I'm not that hungry, mother," Kurama replied, forcing a smile onto his face.  
  
"Alright then. Are you going out to meet your friends today?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"You better hurry up then. It's almost noon; you've slept half the day away Shuichi."  
  
Once Shiori had disappeared into the hallway and down the stairs, the redhead swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up. Autumn sunlight poured through the window, lighting up the room. A painful contrast to the darkness in the youko's heart. He had spent the entire night sitting before his window, watching the stars blink on and off, with only one thing on his mind...  
  
Her...  
  
It had been almost three years since he had last seen Chitsuko. He brought a hand to his lips, recalling the touch of her kiss that day, right before she left for Makai. King Enma had recruited her as a Demon World Spirit Detective as punishment for breaking several Reikai laws on their last mission. And a year and a half ago Koenma had summoned them all to Reikai to tell them that she was dead.  
  
The kitsune made his way over to the closet and slid it open. Glancing into the corner, his eyes came to rest on a large cardboard box, packed to the brim. In that box lay Chitsuko's belongings, the clothes, books, and other assorted things she had left behind before her removal to Makai. The room that had once belonged to her was now occupied by his new younger stepbrother, also named Shuichi. Kurama had chosen to keep the girl's things.  
  
He didn't believe that she was dead.  
  
He didn't want to believe it.  
  
He couldn't.  
  
He quickly pulled on a pair of jeans along with a white button-down and jacket, then made his way downstairs. He slipped his shoes on at the front door and was about to leave when his mother called out to him.  
  
"Shuichi?"  
  
Kurama turned to look at her. "Yes mother?"  
  
"Feel better dear." She smiled warmly at him before ducking back into the kitchen.  
  
The world outside was cold yet clear. The sky was an endless sea of crystalline blue without a cloud in sight. The sun was high in the sky, burning brightly and casting what warmth it could onto the cold, hardened earth. Kurama shoved his hands into his jean pockets and began his long, lonely walk towards the beach.  
  
Yusuke had returned home after three years in Makai several months ago. His job completed, he now spent more time with his friends...and especially Keiko. He had begun to let on to her, and everyone else, that he had possible feelings for her. The two spent much time alone, talking and discussing what to do now that Yusuke no longer had to work for Reikai. Keiko was showing just as much interest in him as he did in her, although her signs were easier to read than the former Tantei's.  
  
Kuwabara had gotten into a local university, and was studying to be a history teacher. His academic and social skills had improved greatly, and he no longer fought with gang members on a daily basis. He often visited his beloved Yukina, an Ice Maiden he and Yusuke had saved from an evil crime lord a few years ago, who lived in a small temple in the nearby hills with Genkai, Yusuke's former teacher and trainer. His sister, Shizuru, worked in a local bar, making enough money to support her and her brother. Their parents had moved to another city, their father having been transferred in his business, but the two Kuwabara siblings had refused to leave their friends. They had stayed behind, more than able to take care of themselves and live on their own.  
  
Hiei had left for Makai the same time Yusuke had, and had not been seen or heard from since. The last time Kurama spoke with him he was heading off with Mukuro, having joined her service and taken up her group's cause: dealing with the ningens that accidentally crossed through the dimension between the worlds and ended up Makai. The little fire youkai had not contacted Kurama or anyone else since.  
  
Botan was once again in Reikai, back to her usual job of ferrying the dead across the river Styx and bringing them to the Gate of Judgment to decide their fate in the afterlife. Koenma was back to stamping papers and monitoring spiritual cases, working under his father, the mighty King Enma.  
  
Mayaka Kawaii, who used to have a ferociously strong crush on Kurama while they were in high school together, had been missing for several months up until a few days ago. Running into her in the grocery store, she had told him of her strange experience in Makai, reassuring him that the regaining of her memory wouldn't put him in any danger. A bit baffled by the sudden return of the memories he had erased from her mind years ago, he asked if she knew of Chitsuko's whereabouts. A small smile had crept over the raven-haired girl's lips and she had shrugged without answering. This gave Kurama a slight suspicion, but after thinking about it for a long time he was still unable to decipher what it meant.  
  
It had remained unspoken, but one thing was clear: everyone missed her, and there was no way in Hell or Heaven that they could replace her.  
  
Ever.  
  
"Hey! Minamino!"  
  
Kurama looked up to see one of his former classmates, Kaito Yuu, running towards him. "Minamino! Hey!" he called with a smile.  
  
The redhead stopped walking and smiled politely. "Hello Kaito."  
  
"How've you been?" he asked, running a hand through his thick head of tight black curls. "I hear you're not going to college?"  
  
Kurama shook his head. "No I'm not. I've decided to help my stepfather with the family business. I've already learned all I can, and all I want right now to be with my family."  
  
Kaito grinned. "That's sweet, Minamino. Always knew you were a family man." His cheerful expression suddenly faltered. "Say... You haven't heard from Chitsuko Ichihara, have you? Haven't seen her since high school and, well, you know..."  
  
"Sadly, no," the kitsune replied quietly.  
  
"Do you know when she's coming back?"  
  
Again the redhead shook his head. "Once again, I'm not sure."  
  
"Alright... Well, I better be going," Kaito said, moving past Kurama and down the sidewalk in the opposite direction. "Nice talking to you. Bye!"  
  
Kurama waved a farewell, then continued walking again, quickening his pace. He could feel hot tears pressing at the inside of his eyes, trying to escape and flow freely down his face. But he couldn't let his friends see him cry. They had already reached the silent agreement not to mention Chitsuko to or around him for fear of upsetting him. They pretended that he didn't know about this, but he knew clear as day what they were doing. Blinking several times to clear away the tears, he picked up his head and rounded the corner into the small sandy path that lead to the beach.  
  
Yusuke, Kuwabara, Shizuru, Keiko, and Mayaka were already there. The boys were having a contest to see who could throw a rock farthest out into the water. Shizuru stood nearby smoking a cigarette, while Keiko and Mayaka sat chatting in the sand. The raven-haired girl turned and waved when she spotted Kurama.  
  
"Kurama!" she called. "What took you so long?"  
  
Smiling gently, he made his way over to his friends. "I overslept."  
  
Yusuke and Kuwabara exchanged a worried glance; they knew what had kept the fox in bed so long. Shizuru took a long drag of her cigarette, then blew out the smoke slowly and thoughtfully.  
  
"You've been oversleeping a lot lately," she remarked not unkindly.  
  
"I've had a lot of my mind lately..." Kurama said, turning to look out over the ocean. The deep waters glittered like liquid sapphire under the afternoon sun. He sighed and closed his eyes. "Three years..." he whispered. "I know you're still out there... Somewhere..."  
  
"What...?" Suddenly Shizuru's soft brown eyes widened, and her gaze flew to the open sky, scanning it frantically for something. "No..." she murmured. "It can't be..."  
  
"Shizuru?" Kuwabara asked as he moved to stand next to her, his stare following hers. "What are you looking at?"  
  
"I...felt something..."  
  
"You...did?" Mayaka said, promptly covering her mouth to hide a grin.  
  
Keiko turned to the raven-haired girl. "What's so funny, Mayaka?"  
  
"Oh... Nothing..."  
  
"Right..." Keiko stood up as Mayaka did, shielding her eyes from the sun with one hand as she searched the blue horizon as well. "I don't get it... What are we looking for?"  
  
"That!" Yusuke shouted, pointing up into the southern sky.  
  
Something was flying over the water, close to the shore. As it got closer, the friends could just make out two figures riding on what looked to be an oar.  
  
"Botan?" Yusuke raised one eyebrow. "Awww crap, I hope it's not a mission from Koenma... Just when things were starting to get peaceful, too..."  
  
"No, that's not Botan," Keiko said.  
  
Indeed, the girl was right. The front most figure on the oar had short-cropped red hair and wore a white and red dojo uniform.  
  
"Hinageshi?" Kuwabara inquired, one eye twitching. "What's she doing here?"  
  
"Patience, Kuwabara," Kurama said softly, taking a step forward. "Something tells me we'll find out soon enough..."  
  
By now Hinageshi was almost directly in front of them. Her passenger suddenly dropped off the oar as she flew by, falling through the air and landing nimbly on one knee in the shallow water near the shore. Hinageshi circled around one more time and tossed something that looked like a backpack down at her dismounted passenger. The second figure slung the pack over one shoulder and waved at the little ferrygirl as she flew away.  
  
"Bye Hinageshi! Thank you!"  
  
"That voice..." Kurama breathed, his heart stopped in his chest. "It can't be..."  
  
At last the figure turned to face them. Long waves of golden-brown flowed down her back, framing a pretty face set with two deep blue-gray eyes the color of the sky after a rainstorm. Her slender body was clothed in a pair of pearly white pants and long-sleeved shirt of the same color. Over the white garments was a golden tunic trimmed with silver and tied just above her waist with a silver sash. The water had soaked her up to the knees, and she now stood shin-deep in the water, her eyes locked on the people on shore.  
  
"Chi..." Yusuke stuttered. Everyone else was too shocked to move or speak. "Chit... Chitsuko?!"  
  
The girl smiled in response and waved. "Hey everybody. I'm home."  
  
"CHITSUKO!" At once Keiko, with tears in her eyes, ran out into the water to embrace her friend. The two girls hugged, laughing and crying at the same time. Yusuke and Kuwabara joined them a second later, closely followed by Shizuru, who handled the situation a bit more maturely by simply hugging the golden-haired girl and ruffling her long tresses. Kurama remained on the sandy shore with Mayaka, who was grinning from ear to ear.  
  
"You knew she was coming back, didn't you?" Kurama asked her quietly.  
  
"Uh huh," was the soft response.  
  
Kurama slowly walked forward, his heart pounding in his ears, afraid to breathe or even make a noise. She was back, she was actually back... He had known she was alive the whole time. He had known it in his heart. If she had died, he would have felt his connection with her break, and deep within him he felt the connection was still as strong as ever.  
  
"Oh man, Koenma told us you were DEAD!" Yusuke shouted, tossing the elegantly clothed girl into the air and catching her again before hugged her against him tightly. "It just hasn't been the same without you, kid..."  
  
"Koenma told you I was DEAD?!" the girl shouted, her eyes wide. "What the hell did he do that for?" She suddenly remembered what Suzuki had explained to her about poorly created dimensions that hadn't already been in existence, along with her experience with Zoutarou. Hitting herself lightly on the side of the head, she mumbled, "That's right, Zoutarou's dimension must've concealed my spirit energy and..."  
  
"Who's what?" Kuwabara inquired.  
  
The hanyou laughed as Mayaka ran up to hug her as well. "I have so much to tell you... Where do I begin?"  
  
Shizuru nudged her in the side. "You can begin by greeting lover boy over there."  
  
Chitsuko turned and her eyes met Kurama's for the first time in three years.  
  
She turned to face him completely. The world around them seemed to have fallen away; not even the crashing of the waves on the shore permeated their hearing. They were focused on each other, and each other alone, glinting emerald hues locked on bright blue-gray ones that were quickly beginning to fill up with tears. The others watched with anticipation and anxiousness, along with a hint of apprehension.  
  
Immediately Kurama had noticed how much she had changed physically. She was a bit taller, her body more graceful and slender than it had been when she left. Her hair looked at though it had been cut but had grown back quickly, and now it fell in curtain of soft waves over her shoulders and down her back. Peachy skin, rosy lips, elegant posture; it all captured his attention, and he couldn't stop his gaze from roaming. But those stormy eyes were as bright and full of energy as always.  
  
Chitsuko felt his excitement radiating from his being, his spirit energy thrumming around them. She blushed. Does this mean he really missed me? she thought to herself as she drank in the sight of him with her eyes. His hair was still as long as it had been three years ago, and his eyes just as deep and full of emotion. He too had gotten taller, and she could tell by the way the clothing hung on his frame that he had toned the muscles on his lithe figure.  
  
Unable to contain herself any longer, the girl ran forward, throwing herself into Kurama's arms. The youko fell backwards, wrapping his arms around Chitsuko and taking her down with him into the water with a splash. Sitting down in the shallow water, he tightened his hold on her as she buried her face in his shoulder.  
  
Is this for real? he thought as he stroked the girl's hair comfortingly, savoring the feel of her soft golden strands between his fingers. Has she really come back to me?  
  
Chitsuko pulled away to kneel in the water beside him. Small tears leaked from the corners of her eyes, and yet her face showed no sign of sadness; her eyes sparkled with the light that usually inhabited them when she was happy. He opened his mouth to say something, then quickly discovered that he could find no words to say.  
  
The hanyou watched him intently. Why isn't he saying anything? Should I?What if... A horrible thought struck her. What if he... What if he doesn't...  
  
Tension rose between them and the youko opened his mouth to speak once more. Again he failed. What could I possibly say to her? I could tell her that I... The same thought that had plagued Chitsuko rose in his mind as well. What if she forgot... What if she doesn't feel the same anymore?  
  
Both foxes remained unresponsive, staring at each other, contemplating what to do. If they advanced and there was no response, then they would be heartbroken. But if they just sat there, waiting for the other to do something...  
  
It was Yusuke who realized what was going on and quickly broke the uncomfortable tension. "It's great to have ya back, Chit-chan," he said with a smile, slinging one arm around her shoulders.  
  
"Yes," Kurama finally said, reaching out to put an arm around her waist and looking into her deep eyes. If he could find the courage to do nothing else, he would do this. Besides, she had just arrived. He would more than make up for his doubts and his cold-feet behavior later...  
  
The girl looked at him, a small smile breaking out on her face. "It's good to be back," she said, wiping her tears on her pearly white sleeve.  
  
Keiko kneeled beside her, putting her hands on her shoulders and smiling warmly at her. "We missed you. Welcome home, Chitsuko-chan." 


	3. Chapter 2 Voices

O.O;; Looks like we're back to square one as far as ChitsukoxKurama goes.... -.-;;;  
  
Some of you may wonder, "Why did she rate all her other stories PG-13, while this one is rated R?"  
  
Four words for you: Love, heartache, angst, and heat.  
  
Enjoy. =^^=  
  
~Lexi-chan~  
  
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Chapter 2: Voices  
  
"...So Lord Enki thanked me for ending the Shinobi revolt, and then King Enma sent me a message saying my punishment had been fulfilled and I could return to Ningenkai." Chitsuko set down her coffee cup and heaved a sigh. "And that's what my assignments were in Makai."  
  
Across from her in the booth, Yusuke sat with his elbows resting on the table and his chin in his hands, his eyes closed. Next to him, Kuwabara was reclined back in the cushioned seat, his own cup of coffee still in his hands. Next to her, Kurama stared at the girl in thoughtful silence, his hands in his lap.  
  
"So you learned more about your past?" the Spirit Detective asked, raising his cup to his lips.  
  
"Well, enough to start putting the pieces together," the hanyou replied. "I found out that Zoutarou was my father's partner. Yokozuki was a close friend of Zoutarou's and therefore knew my father. All three of them were part of a group of demons hunters under the leadership of a demon named Sanshi. Of him I know nothing about." Her voice grew lower and she stared down at her cup, tracing its rim with one slender finger. "I already knew that my mother and Kuronue had been romantically involved, and that Kuronue had been killed in a batched burglary. There was also another demon, a kitsune youko, that no one told me about..." She glanced sideways at Kurama before her gaze returned to her cup. "Her name was Kohana. Apparantly, I'm named after her. Zoutarou said..."  
  
She choked on her next words. She had always entertained the fact that she had always been Kurama's one and only. But now that she knew there had been someone else in his life before her, it bothered her. Why she was letting it bother her, she didn't know. Wherever this Kohana was now, she wasn't with Kurama... But then, why did she feel as though she had been betrayed? Was it the fact that she was his second, and not his first love?  
  
She took a deep breath and tried again. "Zoutarou said...that her and...you, Kurama...were very...close..."  
  
Yusuke, immediately picking up the pain in the girl's words, glanced at Kurama, whose expression suggested that he had been shot straight through the heart. Kuwabara, not understanding Chitsuko's inner turmoil right away, stared at the redhead with stark bewilderment.  
  
"But I thought you said you'd never had a girlfriend before!"  
  
Unable to meet Chitsuko's eyes he looked away. "We...didn't have the time to create a strong relationship. She left soon after..." The youko couldn't find the words to finish his thoughts nor the courage to do so. Quickly he fished the money needed to pay for his drink and put it on the table before standing up.  
  
"Shiori said she needed some help around the house today..." he said quickly, obviously lying. Turning to Chitsuko he said, "She'll be absolutely thrilled when I tell her you're back..." He forced a weak smile only his face. "Do you want to come home with me so she can see for herself?"  
  
"N-no thanks, Kurama..." Chitsuko answered hastily, causing the redhead's smile to droop. "I have some...stuff to do."  
  
"I see... I shall see you all tomorrow then." He nodded a farewell and left the little café without looking back.  
  
Yusuke eyed Chitsuko. "Oh yeah, THAT was convincing..."  
  
The kitsune shrugged. "I just need one night here to myself. To just think about things. I went through a lot back there..."  
  
"We understand," Kuwabara said with a grin. "Hey, my parents moved to Hiroshima a few months ago when my dad got a job transfer. Me 'n Shizuru are old enough to take care of ourselves, so we've got the whole place just for us. We've got an extra room if ya need a place to sleep."  
  
Chitsuko smiled. "Thanks, Kuwabara. I have nowhere else to go, anyway..." She had already made it clear that going to Kurama's house that night wasn't an option for her.  
  
"You know," Yusuke said softly, "he really missed you."  
  
The girl let her head bow forward and closed her eyes. "Then why doesn't he show it?"  
  
"You know how this things always are," the black haired boy said, leaning back in the booth. "You two haven't seen each other for three years. Of course there's going to be some tension there..."  
  
"He hasn't...met someone else?"  
  
"Not that we know of...." Kuwabara muttered.  
  
Not that we know of... Chitsuko bit her tongue to distract her from the tears that began to creep into her eyes. What if he really had? What if he never really loved her in the first place? What if...  
  
She shook her head to clear her mind. One thing was for certain. She still loved him.  
  
And she always would.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Kurama took the long way home, keeping his eyes trained on the sidewalk, his hands in his pockets. The sun had set over an hour ago, and a cold wind whipped through the darkness around him. He felt the chill through his heavy jacket and all the way down to his bones. But most of all, he felt it in his heart.  
  
Why couldn't he just come out and tell her? What did he have to do to make her understand? How could he convince her that it was her, and only her, that he loved?  
  
Tilting his head up to the starry night sky, he whispered, "You mean the world to me. And you know that." Then with a sigh his gaze drifted back to the ground. "Chitsuko Ichihara, Hanyou Kohana, whoever you are... You know I love you..."  
  
And it is that love that protects her...  
  
The redhead youko spun around. Had he just heard someone talking to him?  
  
Youko Kurama...  
  
"What do you want?" At once he was alert, his body tense. A blazing presence stood nearby, one that felt familiar but found no definite place in his mind...  
  
Kurama... You have to tell her...  
  
"Tell her? Tell her what?" He knew the light, feminine voice was talking about Chitsuko, but what were the meaning of its words? He glanced around, searching for its source. "Who are you?"  
  
There was no answer.  
  
The youko stood there, unable to move for a long moment. He listened to the steadily autumn wind, but it carried nothing. The voice and presence were gone. Slowly he began his walk once more, now alert to every noise around him.  
  
"Please don't tell me it's not over..." he murmured to himself, a silent prayer to anyone who would listen.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Shortly after Kurama left, Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Chitsuko decided to call it a night. They bid farewell to each other outside the café, the hanyou heading home with Kuwabara. As they set out on the long walk home, she hugged herself against the cold night falling around them, shivering every so often.  
  
"Ya cold?" Kuwabara asked.  
  
"A little. I'm so used to it being sweltering hot and unbearable... But compared to Koorime, this place is a sauna."  
  
Chitsuko fell silent as they passed the city park. As they passed its closed gates and turned her head to peek inside. It was still the same; benches scattered along a winding pathway through green grass, trees dotting the landscape and surrounding its farthest outskirts, a thick wall of wood and leaves beyond its borders. She smiled to herself, fond memories of days in that park flooding back to her. She glanced across the street at the familiar shops and apartment buildings, her eyes seeking out the coffee shop where she and Kurama had gone on their first date. And when the two of them walked by the Santo's Garden greenhouse, a shiver of excitement ran down the girl's spine, for it was there that she had finally discovered her powers and unlocked the wild kitsune spirit that had lay dormant within her.  
  
Kohana...  
  
Chitsuko spun around, her eyes wide and alert. If she wasn't mistake, she had just heard someone call out to her, using her demon name...  
  
"Kuwabara...?" she asked softly.  
  
The boy stopped to turn around and look at Chitsuko. "Something wrong?"  
  
Kohana... My child...  
  
"There it was again..."  
  
"There was what again?"  
  
Kohana... Hanyou Kohana...  
  
"Don't you hear that?" she asked, her stormy eyes searching frantically for the source of the mysterious voice.  
  
"Hear what?" Kuwabara suddenly shivered violently, a grimace taking over his face. "Agh, no, not again..."  
  
"Tell me you don't hear that... You don't feel that..." A coldness had crept around her, enveloping her like a blanket. She could feel something nearby, something with power, something that felt old to the touch of her spirit awareness. An ancient presence stood nearby, and the girl was almost sure that it was the one calling to her in that soft, feminine voice...  
  
Hanyou Kohana, my baby...  
  
"I feel somethin', but I don't see nothing'..." The boy shrugged. "Probably just a rogue ghost. Nothin' to worry about, I feel 'em all the time."  
  
"Alright... If you say so..."  
  
The two of them resumed their walk. The presence faded from Chitsuko's inner sight as quickly as it had appeared, leaving her in doubt. Probably was just some old ghost, she thought to herself. Everyone's heard of me, so maybe they recognized me as Hanyou Kohana... That's all... Nothing to get worried about...  
  
Finally the two of them reached the Kuwabara residence. Chitsuko stopped on the front steps, turning to look up into the clear night sky dotted with glittering stars. She reassured herself that she had nothing to fear. None of them did. Every dangerous demon and their accomplices had been taken care of, either destroyed or reformed, and everything in the Three Realms was back to normal. She and her friends could go back to living their normal lives, spending time with each other and working towards a better future for themselves. The past was riddled with pain and sorrow, and all the girl wanted to do was move forward and begin her life as a normal person.  
  
"Chitsuko?"  
  
Shizuru Kuwabara's voice called her away from her thoughts. She turned to see Kuwabara's older sister standing in the doorway, smiling broadly.  
  
"Hear you're staying with us tonight."  
  
The girl nodded. "I hope you don't mind."  
  
"Not at all. We've got plenty of room." She studied Chitsuko for a moment, then added, "We need to talk. You know, catch up."  
  
Once again, Shizuru's psychic abilities had gotten the best the kitsune. She smiled sheepishly. "About Kurama?"  
  
"That and then some." Chuckling, the older girl lead the blushing hanyou into the house, closing the door securely behind them again the cold mystery of the night outside. 


	4. Chapter 3 Discussion and Warning

Another poem from Lobo-chan!! This one's from Kurama's point of view:  
  
"I listen to the wind by day,  
  
as it chills me to the bone.  
  
'I miss you Chit-chan' it says to me  
  
when we are all alone.  
  
I look up to the stars at night,  
  
When it's the darkest part.  
  
I wonder when they will guide you back  
  
to me and to my heart."  
  
You all make me feel so loved. =^^= And I love you too!  
  
Midterms are coming up, so in the next two weeks any posting will be a miracle. T.T Honors Chemistry, Honors Algebra II, Honors English II, AP European History, Spanish II, and Playwriting. Faaaaaar too much homework. Faaaaaar too many last minute tests. Faaaaaaaar too much material to cover before midterms. @.@  
  
BUT I WILL SURVIVE! ::dances:: At first I was afraid, I was petrified..  
  
......Okay I'll stop now. ^^;;;  
  
~Lexi-chan~  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------  
  
Chapter 3: Discussion and Warning  
  
The golden-haired girl overturned her backpack, dumping its contents onto the bed. Out fell a sword without a sheath, followed by a small bundle wrapped in a deep blue cloth. Shaking her bag harder, several more objects fell out onto the bed, including a small yellow yo-yo with a pink star painted on it, an unopened bottle of sake, a round-faced golden gem the size of the girl's hand set into a circle of silver, a small amber bottle labeled "Restoration Tonic," and a folded dojo outfit composed of a pair of blue pants and white shirt, and two regal-looking tunics, one of blue-gray trimmed in gold and another of green with a silver sash and trimming. The last item to fall out of her bag was a white rose in full bloom. The girl ran her fingers over its petals tenderly; this was the same rose Kurama had given to her over three years ago on their first date. It had yet to die, and Chitsuko was beginning to think that it never would.  
  
Not as long as her love for him lasted.  
  
Standing over the bed, Shizuru raised an eyebrow at the assortment of items. "I take it you got all that in Makai?"  
  
"Yup!" the younger girl exclaimed, sitting on the edge of the bed. "The sword is mine, and that bundle there is full of food. I didn't expect my return journey home to be so short... The yo-yo is from Rinku, the sake from Chuu, and the Shinobi icon gem is from Jin and Touya. The Restoration Tonic is one of Suzuki's concoctions, and the clothes are from Shishiwakamaru, Yomi and Mukuro, respectively."  
  
Shizuru chuckled. "What scares me is that I actually know who you're talking about." She picked up Chitsuko's backpack, then paused for a moment. Staring at the bag, she shook it again. A faint jingle sounded from within it.  
  
"You've got something else in here..."  
  
Bewildered, Chitsuko stuck her hand into the supposedly empty bag. Feeling around the lining, her fingertips brushed against something cool and smooth at its bottom. Closing her fingers around it, she extracted it, completely unaware as to how or why the object was in her backpack.  
  
Hanging on a thing, shiny black chain was a blood red gem shaped like a raindrop. The gem was set into a backing of black stone, and both stone and gem were smooth to the touch.  
  
The hanyou's eyes widened. "Kuronue's pendant...!"  
  
"Who's pendant?" Shizuru said, before settling on the bed beside her.  
  
"I..." Chitsuko gaped down at the pendant, at a loss for words. The chimera must have slipped it into her bag when she wasn't looking. Come to think of it, she didn't remember seeing it around his neck when he said good-bye to her...  
  
A hand passed in front of her face, and the girl started. Blinking rapidly, she looked up at Shizuru, who was studying the girl with a thoughtful expression.  
  
"Something wrong?"  
  
"No... Nothing's wrong, honest. I feel fine.... I am a little hungry, though..." She reached for the small bundle and set it in her lap before pulling it open. Inside lay a bottle of orange liquid, a few slices of apple pie, two small containers of home-cooked noodles, rice balls, two fluffy biscuits and a pair of chopsticks. The kitsune took up the bottle and uncorked it. The scent of peaches floated out of the bottle, and after a long sip the girl discovered that the drink tasted just as sweet.  
  
"Looks like you were well taken care of back there."  
  
"Yes... I was..." Chitsuko raised the bottle in silent salute to her youkai friends back in Makai, then brought it to her lips for another long swig.  
  
The ringing of the telephone could be heard down the hallway in the living room, followed by Kuwabara's voice answering.  
  
"Hello? Oh hey Kurama! ...Yeah, she's here... Yeah, she's alright... Wounds? She looks fine to me..." Suddenly the Tantei laughed. "Nope, she hasn't said anything about that fancy outfit she's wearing." His chuckles died down into silence, then, "She's with Shizuru right now.. Girl stuff, probably... I'll go and...huh? You sure you don't want me to get her? ...You SURE? ...Okay.... I'll tell her."  
  
There was a click, then the sound of footsteps coming down the hallway. A moment later there was a knock on the bedroom door.  
  
"You can come in," Shizuru said, both girls sitting up as the boy entered.  
  
"Hey Chitsuko, that was Kurama, he..." The boy's eyes wandered to the mound of items on the bed. "What is all that crap?!" Crossing over to the bed, he picked up Rinku's yo-yo. "Hey, this looks like one of those yo-yos that kid Rinku fights with..."  
  
The two girls exchanged a knowning glance, the younger bursting into a fit of giggles.  
  
"O-kay..." Kuwabara eyed the golden-haired hanyou before tossing the yo-yo backing onto the bed and stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Listen, Chitsuko, that was Kurama. He told Shiori you're back and she's absolutely thrilled. She wants you to come over for dinner tomorrow night, to catch up and meet her new husband and stepson and stuff..."  
  
"Husband? Stepson?" Her stormy eyes were wide. "Shiori-san remarried?"  
  
"Uh huh," the boy replied with a nod. "She's real happy too. Kurama still lives with her, but he's looking to find an apartment or something close by."  
  
"Wow..." Chitsuko was smiling. "I'm so happy for her! Sure I'll go over tomorrow night." After a short pause she added, "Of course, thank you for letting me stay here tonight."  
  
"No problem," Shizuru said with an identical smile. "You're like family to all of us. There's no way we'd just leave you out in the cold."  
  
"I appreciate it..." Chitsuko said softly as her fingers absentmindedly stroked the pendant resting in her palm. "I love you guys...."  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Chitsuko-chan, sit down!" Shiori scolded playfully, gently moving the girl away from the stove.  
  
The golden-haired girl squeaked in protest, a small smile on her face. "But Shiori-san, the least I can do is..."  
  
"Chitsuko, you're our guest! I've got everything under control." With a soft laugh the woman moved a skillet filled with fish and beef from one burner to another, poking at the meat with a long fork to test it.  
  
Sitting at the table, Kurama's younger stepbrother of about sixteen, who also went by the name Shuichi, stifled a chuckle. "Oi, Shuichi, you've got a nice girl here..."  
  
The redhead turned scarlet as he set a stack of dishes down on the table. The hanyou raised her hand to cover a blush of her own. Across from young Shuichi, at the head of the table, Kurama's stepfather laughed.  
  
"Now, now, don't tease them. I'm sure Shuichi knows he's found a sweet girl, otherwise he wouldn't be dating her."  
  
The word "dating" struck both of them like a painful slap across the face. They glanced at each other, the color in their faces deepening, before returning to their previous tasks. Chitsuko made her way over to the table and sat down next to Kurama's stepbrother, flashing him a polite smile.  
  
A smirk crawled across the teenager's lips. "You're gorgeous..."  
  
"Thank you." The golden-haired girl did her best to keep from laughing at the face that the brother of the object of her affection was attempting to hit on her. "When I was younger I was usually just called awkward and pretty-looking, never gorgeous..." She nodded in thanks. "I appreciate it, Shuichi."  
  
Kurama set a plate, a bowl, and cup, and a pair of chopsticks in front of everybody, then sat down opposite Chitsuko. Shiori brought dishes full of fried fish, beef, rice, vegetables, and noodles to the table before sitting down across from her stepson.  
  
As they helped themselves, it was Shiori who started up the conversation. "So Chitsuko, how's your aunt?"  
  
The girl paused for a moment, several noodles caught in her chopsticks halfway to her mouth. "...What?"  
  
"Your aunt. You know, the one you've been with in Tokyo for all these years?"  
  
Chitsuko glanced at Kurama, who mouthed the word "Makai."  
  
Instantly the girl remembered the story she had made up to explain her sudden departure three years ago. "Oh, yes! She's fine, just fine..." While the others turned their attention to their food, the hanyou mouthed a "thank you" in Kurama's direction.  
  
"You know..." Shuichi said, brushed his sandy hair out of his sharp eyes, "Shuichi has told us a lot about you." He pointed in Kurama's direction with his chopsticks.  
  
At once the youko was blushing again. Chitsuko, noticing this, giggled lightly. She met his gaze with a wink, then turned to his stepbrother.  
  
"Oh HAS he? What has he said about me?"  
  
"For one thing," the young boy continued through a mouthful of beef and rice, "he told us you were pretty. But we he didn't tell us you were THIS pretty." After a thoughtful pause he added, "This gorgeous."  
  
"Gorgeous," Chitsuko reinstated, glanced at Kurama, who was getting steadily redder and had taken to pushing his fish around his plate.  
  
"He said that you were smart, too. And that you went to Sarasaki for a while and then transferred to Meiou with him."  
  
"I did." The girl paused to take a bite of beef, chewed politely, then swallowed. "I had such good times here. I missed being here while I was in...Tokyo."  
  
"And how was Tokyo?" Shiori's husband asked, adjusted his glasses.  
  
"It was nice. But not nearly as nice as here. I was a bit lonely... I missed my friends..." Then she turned her bright eyes on Kurama and said softly, "I missed you."  
  
Kurama just sat there, unable to reply, his chopsticks still in his mouth. The two foxes sat still as stone, eyes locked on each other. Chitsuko held her breath as Kurama removed the utensils from his mouth, chewed and swallowed, taking his sweet time with every action. But he did not look away; he found he couldn't. Couldn't take his eyes off the girl that sat before him, the girl he had loved from the moment he met her, the girl he wanted to spend eternity with...  
  
"I missed you to," he replied gently with a smile.  
  
The girl let her breath go and smiled as well. Feeling the need to keep the conversation going if she wanted to avoid an awkward moment, she said the first thing that came to mind. "I missed just hanging out with all of you. Especially you. The two of us, just hanging around the house, doing homework or cooking or reading." The nostalgia made her sigh. "Peaceful and happy." She giggled. "We were still kids back then... So naïve and carefree..."  
  
"Yes, and we're all grown up now." Kurama gazed at her fondly, setting his chopsticks down on the rim of his bowl. "We'll all have to be making important descisions soon. Where we want go, what we want to do with our lives...  
  
Shiori hid a smile with a mouthful of vegetables. Glancing at her new husband she winked. Understanding his wife's thoughts, a smile equal to the one on her face spread across his own.  
  
"Chitsuko..." Shiori said gently. "Where will you be living now?"  
  
"I stayed at the Kuwabaras' house last night. I'm looking for an apartment or something I can rent close by. I don't really have any money, so I was going to..."  
  
"Rent an apartment? Nonsense! You can stay here with us!"  
  
Chitsuko blinked rapidly several times, letting the woman's words sink in. "But, you..."  
  
"Chitsuko, it's alright!" Shiori smiled warmly. "There's a room down the hallway you can sleep in. Right now it's a little messy and cluttered, but we should be able to clean it up and get a bed for it in a week or two. The room you used to sleep in is young Shuichi's now, but we can set you up on the couch until it's ready."  
  
"Thank you," the golden-haired girl said softly, bowing her head in gratitude. "You're always so kind to me, Shiori-san..."  
  
"You're like family," the woman said.  
  
It was the second time Chitsuko had heard those words in less than twenty- four hours.  
  
"Actually, if I may interject..." Kurama said suddenly. "I'll be willing to sleep on the couch. You can sleep in my room."  
  
The hanyou was slightly taken aback. Shocked, more or less. "Shuichi-kun.."  
  
"Really, it's alright." He smiled and pushed back his chair to rise from the table. "I assure you, my bed is much more comfortable than the couch."  
  
"I know," the girl replied with a laugh. "Remember that time we..."  
  
The words were out before she realized she was saying them. Her voice trailed off and her hand flew to her mouth, but it was too late. Across from her, Kurama's face as red as a bowl of cherries. Younger Shuichi was snickered madly, while the boy's father hid a small smile in cup and Shiori stared at her son with wide eyes and a tight-lipped mouth. She didn't look mad, just...shocked.  
  
"Here, I'll go get you settled in, alright?" Taking Chitsuko by the hand, Kurama led her out of the kitchen and up the stairs towards his room.  
  
Shiori looked to her husband, the smallest of smiles on her face. "Well," she said quietly, a hint of excitement in her voice, "looks like we'll be getting grandchildren sooner than we thought."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Kurama's room hadn't changed a bit since she last saw it. The Western-style bed, the desk, the dressers; it was all still in place. Chitsuko wandered over to the window as the redhead closed the door behind them, leaning against it as he watched the girl inspect her surroundings.  
  
"Just like when we were kids..." she said with a giggle, her back to him. "Remember how when I used to have nightmares, I'd come into your room and wake you up?"  
  
"And I would stay with you all night, making sure you fell back asleep." He chuckled lightly. "And what about all those times when we were restless and the others weren't around?" Pushing away from the door, he began to take slow, steady steps towards her.  
  
Chitsuko was now directly in front of the window. Gazing out at the woods behind Kurama's house, over the treetops and into the velvety night sky, she pressed her hands against the glass, smiling softly to herself. "We'd stay here, or we'd go the park..."  
  
Kurama continued to advance towards her, his heart pounding in his throat, his stomach a nervous knot. "Take a walk through the trees..."  
  
"Read a book..."  
  
"Do a little extra training..."  
  
"Just be happy in each other's company..."  
  
"Serene and content..." Directly behind her, the youko wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her against him. The hanyou let out a soft gasp and her body tensed for a brief moment before relaxing against his.  
  
"You know I really missed you..." he whispered.  
  
"I missed you too..." was the softer reply.  
  
"Chitsuko-chan... There's something I need to tell you..."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Chitsuko... I..."  
  
Kurama didn't get a chance to finish. Suddenly a loud screaming echoed in both of their ears, causing the redhead to let go and cover his ears. A pain shot through his head and he fell to his knees as the ear-splitting screams grew louder. Chitsuko was still standing with her palms pressed against the windowpane, her head tilted back, her teeth clenched together and her eyes squeezed shut. She was visibly trembling, trying to fight the pain with every ouch of strength she had. But try and she hard to move, she found that she couldn't.  
  
Suddenly a voice rose above the screams.  
  
Kohana... Hanyou Kohana... My child...  
  
And then something in Kurama's mind clicked. The voice did sound familiar, and he knew it all too well... He had made a promise to the owner of that voice over five hundred years ago, a promise that had changed his life...  
  
"Mi... Misao..."  
  
Chitsuko sighed and her head lapsed forward, her body ceasing its shaking. A strong presence filled the room, its throbbing energy centered around the girl at the window. Kurama got to his feet, reaching out to his beloved.  
  
"Chitsuko..."  
  
"The shadows are falling..."  
  
The youko halted in his tracks, his blood running cold in his veins. The voice that had issued from Chitsuko's mouth was not her own. It was light and feminine, overflowing with a deep sadness and anguish....  
  
It was the voice of Misao, Hanyou Kohana's demon mother.  
  
"Misao..." Kurama choked out, moving to stand beside Chitsuko. "Misao... What are you...?"  
  
"The shadows are falling..." Misao repeated through Chitsuko's mouth. The golden-haired girl was standing motionless, her hands pressed against the window, her blank eyes staring straight ahead. She was possessed; the pain from the screams had rendered her unconscious, and thus in the opportune condition for a spirit to possess her. She opened her mouth to speak again. "The shadows will fall heaviest on those she loves. They come from a time unknown, a time forgotten by all but those who lived it... Pain and sorrow will consume her and all who love her. You must stop him from carrying out this horrible fate..."  
  
"'Him'?" Kurama asked frantically. "Who's 'him'?"  
  
"Stop him...from taking them... Remember your promise, Kurama..." Misao's voice grew faint and Chitsuko's eyelids began to droop. "Protect...my daughter..." Suddenly the light returned to Chitsuko's eyes, and the girl blinked once before toppling over into the redhead's arms.  
  
"Chitsuko!" He shook her gently. "Chitsuko, are you alright?"  
  
Wearily the girl's eyes opened. "What...just happened?"  
  
"I'll tell you when you've gotten some rest..." Cradling her, Kurama carried Chitsuko over to his bed and set her down on the blankets. He felt her forehead, then pressed his knuckles to her cheek; she felt cool. The obvious aftermath of a possession. "You rest. I'll go to Kuwabara's and get your things..."  
  
"But Kurama..."  
  
"You've just been possessed. And possessions are very taxing. Moreso than mergers." He smiled grimly, then moved to exit. The youko paused for a moment, then turned back to plant a soft kiss on the girl's cheek. "It's wonderful to have you home again, Chit-chan..."  
  
Chitsuko smiled, a light pink rising in her pale cheeks. "It's good to be home..."  
  
And with that Kurama left the room, leaving Chitsuko alone and confused, her mind racing and her heart pounding.  
  
She had just heard her mother and felt her presence for the first time. 


	5. Chapter 4 Guardians and Secrecy

Yay for persistence and the miracle of free time! Here, just for all of you who can't get enough Kokitsune, is chapter four!  
  
=^^=  
  
~Lexi-chan~  
  
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Chapter 4: Guardians and Secrecy  
  
Koenma let out a yell of exasperation as the doors to his office slid open again. Two identical ogres, one yellow and the other brown, dashed over to his desk, the yellow-skinned one holding yet another of the black videocassettes that the young ruler had seen so much of in the past few days.  
  
The toddler sighed and slumped back in his chair as the tape was set before him, next to a stack of identical cassettes. "Another one?"  
  
"Yes, Koenma-sama," the brown one said. "We're sorry to bother you, but the Makai Monitors keep sending them up. There's obvious reason for concern here..."  
  
"I know, I know..." Koenma leaned down to open his bottom desk drawer. A moment later he reappeared above the tabletop, another videocassette in his hand. "To think it all started with this one... Just little twinkling lights..."  
  
"Twinkling lights, sir?" the yellow ogre inquired.  
  
"Just put the new tape on..." The toddler's voice was saturated with exasperation and fatigue, with sadness as a deep undertone.  
  
The cassette was pushed into the VCR, and the floor-to-ceiling screen in the toddler's office lit up.  
  
It showed the same expanse of Makai landscape, the same endless forest, a sea of green leaves stretching in all directions. But where small points of blue and red light had flickered, large, shapeless pools of light swirled above the forest canopy, patches of bright red and blue light pulsing with energy. With each new videotape sent up to the Reikai ruler, the puddles of light grew larger, almost completely obstructing the view of the land below.  
  
The toddler began sucking feverishly on his pacifier. "Have they picked up any more energy readings?"  
  
"They say they're stronger than before," the brown one said as the two ogres began to back slowly out of the room. "A while ago they felt a presence pass through the lights, and the spiritual energy surrounding the forest plummeted, then suddenly increased drastically."  
  
"A rapid decrease, followed by a swifter increase? How is this possible?" Koenma's eyes were glue to the videoscreen.  
  
"We...don't know, Koemna-sama..." said the yellow ogre. "Nobody can make heads or tails of it. Keep listening to the tape. The onis downstairs nearly wet themselves when they heard what was on this tape..."  
  
"What?"  
  
Koenma didn't have to wait long. The screen flickered slightly, and then a soft, ghostly whisper came from the speakers.  
  
"Hanyou Kohana..."  
  
The doors slid shut and the two ogres fled away from the office, leaving the toddler alone. He sat rigidly in his chair, his entire body frozen from the icy chill that had washed over him and the sound of the cold, deadly murmur. Ironically the scene remained in place on the screen, the lush forests and glittering lights still in view with no sign of the mysterious, otherworldly owner of the voice.  
  
"Youko Kurama..."  
  
Koenma swallowed hard. Two people he knew all too well had been named. Two people whose lives were connected not by mere coincidence.  
  
Two people who were most likely in an untold amount of danger.  
  
Still the voice continued. "Hanyou Kohana... Youko Kurama..." The whisper sounded airy and feminine to the toddler's ear; there was no doubt in his mind that it belonged to a ghost of some sort. "Sanshi is coming... He is coming for you... You must run..."  
  
Koenma was about to call one of his ferrygirls into his office for aid when a deep, sharp voice overcame the softer one.  
  
"HANYOU KOHANA... YOUKO KURAMA... YOU CANNOT HIDE FROM ME... YOU WILL NOT LAST MUCH LONGER... YOUR BLOOD WILL RAIN FROM THE SKY... AND THE LEGEND WILL DIE..."  
  
And suddenly the pieces fit. Through the young ruler's terror, the cogs in his brain began to turn, putting together every piece of information he had acquired on the early life of Youko Kurama and the time around Hanyou Kohana's birth. It was all starting to make sense now...  
  
"Sanshi... The leader of Jekku, Zoutarou, and Yokozuki's tribe..." Koenma squeezed his amber eyes shut, scolding himself. "I can't believe I didn't see it before... AYAME!"  
  
The sudden shout brought the normally lethargic ferrygirl instantly into his office, her thin figure passing through the wall to his left. "Koenma-sama?" she asked tentatively.  
  
"I need you to find Hinageshi and Botan. Tell them I have two people that need transport from Makai to Ningenkai as soon as possible."  
  
"Of course..." Ayame bowed. "May I ask who, sir?"  
  
Koenma gripped the edge of his desk, his eyes still glued to the screen. "Two special and highly unusual cases." He heaved a sigh before ordering, "Bring me the files for the bomb master Karasu and the ex-thief, the chimera Kuronue...IMMEDIATELY." Turning to finally look at Ayame, he held a thin black folder out to her. "Take this as well, since it will be needed. There will be a third following them shortly..."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Chitsuko awoke with a start, jerking up into a sitting position with a frightened gasp. Her blue-gray eyes inspected her surroundings frantically. Realizing she was still in Kurama's room, tucked beneath the warm covers of Kurama's bed, she sighed, combing her fingers through her long, sweat-dampened tresses. Clucthing at the covers, she stared out over at the rain-splattered windowpane. The storm outside was still persistant, relentless pounding down on the city.  
  
What had startled her awake? Searching through her mind for any sign of a previous nightmare, the girl found none. She had simply woken of her own accord, frightened and nervous, her heart pounding in her throat and making it hard to swallow. Her mouth was dry anyway, and a cold sweat had collected on her forehead and on the back of her neck.  
  
Her fingers subconsciously stroked Kuronue's pendant hanging around her neck. The long chain allowed it to rest just below her chest, over her ribcage. "There's something wrong..." she murmured to herself as she swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up. "I can feel it in the air... There's something wrong..."  
  
Too restless to return to bed, the girl took to wandering around Kurama's room. On the bedside table stood a framed picture of herself and the redhead in their old Meiou High School uniforms, standing out on the sidewalk in front of the house. Kurama's arm was around her, and her hands were clasped sweetly in front of her. Both were smiling. Three more pictures sat on the boy's desk, one of the Reiki Tantei that looked to have been taken not too long ago, and one of Kurama and Shiori sitting on a park bench. But it was the third picture that held Chitsuko's attention and brought tears to her eyes as her fingers ran over the glass pane of the frame.  
  
It was a solo picture of her. She was in the park, standing on a clear expanse of grass, the trees looming tall and stately behind her. ...No, she wasn't standing. She was dancing, caught in mid-twirl, the sun dazzling over her long golden hair, her eyes twinkling light two stars set in her head. She was laughing and giving the photographer the peace sign, her magenta-purple uniform ruffled in the afternoon breeze around her.  
  
She had been so happy back then. So carefree. So oblivious to the pain she would have to face in the future...  
  
Quickly she looked away, forcing herself to move from the desk to the closet. She slid it open, and her attention was immediately drawn to a box on the closer floor. Kneeling down, she carefully opened the top flaps to inspect the topmost items in the darkness. Her hands brushed soft fabric and rigid paper, and she gently tugged a blue and yellow uniform from the depths of the box. Holding it up, her eyes widened at the familiarity of the outfit.  
  
One of her old Sarasaki High uniforms.  
  
Rummaging through the rest of the box, she discovered everything in it to have belonged to her. Her heart registered love and shock, both at seeing that Kurama had saved her things. He hadn't believed Koenma when he told the Reiki Tantei she was dead. He hadn't given up on her. He hadn't wanted to let her go...  
  
There was a dull thud outside, followed by a loud yell. Chitsuko crept from her spot in front of the closet to stand before the window, squinting through the dark night to inspect the cold, wet world outside.  
  
Two black-hooded figures were making their way up the walkway to the front door. The girl's breath caught in her throat as she watched them approach the front door, cloaks floating over the puddles like dark clouds. Both figures were tall and slender, making them even more ominous to look at.  
  
Swearing under her breath, Chitsuko flitted out of the room and down the stairs in a heartbeat, her spirit energy flaring within her and ready to attack. Two strong presences waited on the other side of the door, and her power reacted much like a distress signal, tensing her body and readying it for battle.  
  
"Chitsuko?"  
  
She was almost to front door when a soft voice called her attention. Turning around, she found Kurama standing next to the couch, a blanket crumpled in a heap of fabric around his feet.  
  
Without waiting for another word from the youko, the hanyou asked, "Did you feel it too?"  
  
"Yes," the redhead said with a nod. "I assume you did as well, otherwise you wouldn't be awake at this hour."  
  
Chitsuko heaved a short breath and closed the remaining distance between her and front door. "There are two figures out there in black cloaks. I can't see what they look like, but their both pouring out tremendous amounts of spirit energy." She sighed, resting her hand on the latch. "With my luck it's probably MY spirit energy that lead them here..."  
  
The latch began to twitch and click under her hands. Quickly she let go, springing backwards and nearly knocking over Kurama. The boy caught her around the waist and steadied her as the two of them watched the lock fearfully.  
  
There was a low muttering and smoke exploded through the keyhole, and a string of curse words reached their ears from beyond the door. Another blast shot through the lock, followed by a small spray of sparks and a shower of small pieces of gold-toned metal.  
  
"Well they conquered the lock..." Kurama muttered softly as his grip on Chitsuko tightened and the girl readied her body for a Spirit Gun.  
  
With a bang the door swung open, revealing the two black figures, surrounded by the torrential downpour outside. Startled into action, Chitsuko's golden spirit energy had barely formed around her finger when the girl released it and yelled, "SPIRIT GUN!"  
  
The golden ball of energy shot through the door. To the dismay of both foxes, the mysterious strangers outside ducked, and the shot flew up into the atmosphere, leaving a trail of softly glowing light in its wake. It disappeared with a twinkle in the thick cloud cover, a complete and total waste of spirit energy.  
  
"Damnit..." Chitsuko murmured as she readied herself to attack again and Kurama reached back into his hair for his rose.  
  
"WHOA WHOA WHOA, HOLD IT!" the shorter of the figures cried, holding out two strong, peach-colored hands. "Some way to greet people that come to your house!"  
  
The voice sounded familiar to both Chitsuko and Kurama. They lowered their hands, the boy stepping forward. "People don't normally come to our house at two in the morning..."  
  
"We're a first, then," said the taller figure. "Don't mind him. He's just a little irritable that we've been sent here." He moved his hands up to remove his hood. "Afterall, Ningenkai isn't exactly number one of my list of places to visit..."  
  
The hood fell back, revealing sleek black hair that fell down lithe shoulders and two amethyst eyes glittering above a white mask that covered both the nose and mouth of the man.  
  
"Karasu?!" Kurama's mouth fell slightly open as the girl ran forward into the crow's arms. "I thought your soul was utterly destroyed! We all saw it..."  
  
"King Enma works in mysterious ways..." Karasu said, letting Chitsuko go and taking a step back. "My pretty little fox boy, how you've grown..."  
  
"Fox boy?" the other figure inquired, pushing off his own hood to reveal sleek, soft black hair tied into a high ponytail and eyes of deep purple. "You mean there's ANOTHER one?"  
  
"KURONUE?!"  
  
Chitsuko had never seen Kurama so surprised. All color drained from the redhead's face and his mouth went slack, his bright green eyes wide and shining with confusion and disbelief. He shook his head slowly, his entire body tense and numb from the initial shock.  
  
"No... It can't be... You're dead... You were killed! So long ago..."  
  
The chimera shucked off his cloak, his head tilted to one side as he studied Kurama. "Do I know you?"  
  
"Ku-Kuronue..." the fox stuttered. It's me..."  
  
"Remember what Koenma told you about Kurama's reincarnation," Karasu said to Kuronue. "He did mention that you would be shocked..."  
  
The chimera looked from the crow to the redhead standing before him. "KURAMA?!" he squealed.  
  
"Shhhhh!" Chitsuko said, trying to fight down a smile. "There are people sleeping upstairs."  
  
"Kurama..." Kuronue darted forward and swept his old partner into a tight, brotherly hug. "I can't believe it... Is that really you? You couldn't've picked a better human body..."  
  
"It's wonderful to see you Kuronue... I can't tell you how much I...how much I..."  
  
"If the two of you get to pour over memories for old times' sake, then Chit-chan and I get to have a little reunion of our own..." The saracasm evident in Karasu's voice, but he did not wait for a respond. In an instant the girl was back in his arms and his mask was off, his mouth pressed against hers.  
  
Kurama only saw it for a second, but that was all it took for the image to soak into his mind. Chitsuko didn't respond, but she didn't push him away either. It was Kuronue who shoved the crow away from the girl, leaving her shocked and frazzled-looking in the middle of the entrance hall.  
  
"You take every chance you get to kiss her, don't you?" the chimera said wryly. "And just how many times have you molested the poor girl, eh?"  
  
"It would be wise for you to silence yourself, Bat Boy..." Karasu hissed.  
  
"No fighting, please! Not here..." Chitsuko pleaded. "Kurama's family is sleeping upstairs."  
  
"Family?" Kuronue raised one eyebrow.  
  
"I shall explain while the two of you dry off," the redhead said, leading the way to the living room. He couldn't take his eyes off the chimera. "Kuronue, I still don't understand how you can be here right now..."  
  
"It was all Chitsuko," he said, smiling at the female kitsune as she perched herself on the coffee table. "She found my body and restored the connection between it and my spirit, hence reviving me. I owe it all to her..."  
  
"Are we going to get sentimental again?" Karasu asked boredly, but with a longing glance in Chitsuko's direction.  
  
"For her sake, no," Kuronue replied, glaring at the crow. "I swear, the next time you..."  
  
"Enough! Remember, people sleeping!" Chitsuko pointed towards the ceiling and motioned for them to quiet down with a finger to her lips. "Why are you here, anyway?"  
  
Karasu answered for the two of them. "Koenma sent us here. We both have special assignments to protect you. Kuronue for Kurama, and me for you."  
  
"Protect us? From what, may we ask?" Kurama inquired quizzically.  
  
"We're not really sure..." said the chimera. "Something important, though. There's something going on, something that's potentially dangerous... I heard a few of the onis talking about it back at the Gate of Judgement... But whatever it is, they're not divulging any information. Especially to us."  
  
"Special orders to protect the two of us with no explaination..." Chitsuko murmured. "I knew something was wrong. There's something they're not telling us. They're hiding information..."  
  
"Until we receive further details, we have been instructed not to leave your side," the crow said. "We must keep an eye on the Reiki Tantei as well, just in case they get dragged into it..."  
  
"Dragged into what?" Kurama's green eyes were bright and thoughtful.  
  
"We don't know," Karasu finished. "We really don't know..."  
  
On the coffee table, Chitsuko sat back, hugging her knees to her chest and bowing her head. "I knew something was wrong..." she whispered. "I knew this peace was too good to be true..." 


	6. Chapter 5 Seduction All Over Again

This chapter is definitely one of those cutesy fillers. I have no idea where I got the idea for this particular chapter, but I wrote the song about a week ago with this particular scene in mind.  
  
For all fans of KuramaxChitsuko, this one's for you. =^^=  
  
~Lexi-chan~  
  
P.S. IF ANYONE CAN FIND ME THE NAME OF KURAMA'S HUMAN STEPFATHER, I WILL LOVE YOU FOR ETERNITY. I know his last name is Kazuyuu, but the first name I'm unsure of... If you can find it for me, I'll be forever grateful! =^^=  
  
Theme song for this chapter, highly recommended: Paradise of Love by Megumi Ogata, courtesy of Kia-chan! =^^=  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------  
  
Chapter 5: Seduction All Over Again  
  
"So... How are things going with Chitsuko?"  
  
Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama, and Kuronue were seated in a booth in the neighborhood café, the same place where they had taken Chitsuko on her first day back in Ningenkai. The two human boys kept casting weary glances at the chimera, who had donned a long black trenchcoat to conceal his folded wings and a black ski hat, which didn't match his outfit at all, to cover his pointed ears. Kuronue was staring down at his cup of coffee, every now and then poking his finger into it, then licking the amber liquid off his finger.  
  
"You can, uh, drink that, you know..." Kuwabara remarked quietly to the obviously confused youkai.  
  
"You sure it hasn't been poisoned? You can't trust anyone..."  
  
"Well around here, you can," Yusuke interrupted, shifting the focus of the conversation back to Kurama. "So, how IS Chitsuko getting along at your house?"  
  
"She's just fine. She spends a lot of time with Shiori while my stepfather is out. Shiori enjoys the company, and Chitsuko is happy to be around a mother figure." At this statement, the redhead lowered his eyes to his empty cup. He still couldn't shake the sound of Misao's voice from him mind, the feel of presence in the room that evening...  
  
And he still didn't know the reason for her spirit's sudden appearance.  
  
"Have you two..." Kuwabara wiggled his eyebrows up and down, a hint at the words he couldn't say out loud.  
  
This prompted Kuronue to look up from his drink and at the boy sitting next to him with unfeigned interest.  
  
Kurama's green eyes were sharp, almost menacingly so, as he looked at Kuwabara. "No..." Then they softened. "We have barely... What I mean to say is..." He sighed at his inability to find the right words. "We have yet to pick up from where we left off. The past three years are a barrier between us. I'm having a hard time breaking through it..."  
  
Yusuke jumped to his feet, slamming his hands down on the table and leaning over until he was directly in Kurama's face. "You mean to get to her, or to just get yourself to stop being chicken-wussy and admit that you love her?" The black-haired Tantei was adamant.  
  
The youko blinked. "I..."  
  
Kuwabara didn't give him a chance to answer. "Maybe she found someone else in Makai!"  
  
Four faces fell as the exact same moment, Kurama's rapid emotional change being the most dramatic. His eyes widened and his teeth clenched together as a small noise between a gasp and a choke came from his throat. On the table, his hands clenched into fists.  
  
"Someone..else?"  
  
The others had never seen Kurama looked so panicked. Yusuke settled back down in his seat, looking over at the kitsune with compassionate eyes. "You must really love her to be that scared." Then he glanced over at Kuwabara and muttered, "You dumbass..."  
  
"Hey, she could've! You never know..." The orange-haired boy folded his arms over his chest and leaned back in the booth. "Not everyone can have a love as sweet and pure and me and my Yukina..."  
  
"Just shut up."  
  
Kuwabara was on the floor with a black eye before Kurama could stop Yusuke. Almost immediately following the assault, the Tantei was questioning the redhead again. "Do you have any clues that that might be the case?"  
  
The image of Karasu kissing Chitsuko in his entrance hall swam into his inner eye.  
  
"Quite possibly..." he answered softly and sadly.  
  
"Then what you need to do is get out there! As I see it, you have two options... One, you can flaunt yourself in front of her make her want you back, or two, you flaunt ANOTHER GIRL in her face."  
  
"Another...girl?" Kurama blinked.  
  
"How about Mayaka?" Yusuke asked.  
  
Kurama shook his head. "She got over me a long time ago. Besides, she's Chitsuko's good friend..."  
  
"Couldn't she pretend?"  
  
"She'd never consent to it."  
  
"DANCE CLUB!"  
  
Kuronue eyed Kuwabara, who had slid back into his seat with a big, dopey grin on his face. "'Dance club'?"  
  
"We'll take him to Sasaki Hime, Urameshi!" the orange-haired boy exclaimed gleefully, elbowing Yusuke in the ribs. "That place is always kickin'! He can either find another girl he likes or just dance around and have fun!" He tilted his head back and laughed, loud and boisterous enough the attract the disturbed attention of the couples at the surrounding tables. "The way I see it, it's a win-win situation..."  
  
"...You know, for once, you might be on to something..." Deep brown eyes turned themselves on Kurama. "Sasaki Hime, the most popular late-night dance club around here without a curfew. You in?"  
  
The youko smiled weakly, running over his options in his head. Unable to think straight with his broken heart, he nodded slowly, mechanically. "What other choices do I have?"  
  
* * * * *  
  
Chitsuko sighed, watching as the wind blew several dry leaves down the sidewalk in front of her. Beside her, Karasu stuffed his hands in his pockets and tilted his head back to look up into the bright blue sky, dotted with puffy white clouds.  
  
"Ningenkai isn't as horrible as most youkai make it out to be."  
  
"No, it's not..." The girl tucked her golden tresses behind one ear and yawned.  
  
The crow glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "Not getting enough sleep, Kokitsune?"  
  
"Almost none."  
  
"I bet we have Kurama to thank for that..."  
  
The kitsune turned scarlet. "No... I've just been having nightmares, that's all..."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"Well... I'm walking through a forest. I'm all alone, and I don't see anyone, but I feel this terrible presence. It's huge, and menacing... It scares me..."  
  
Chitsuko stopped walking as the wind picked up, whipping her short pleated skirt, long coat and hair into a frenzy around her. Karasu halted as well, gazing at her down the bridge of his mask.  
  
The girl clutched at her jacket and shivered. "I'm terribly afraid... And I know no one will help me.. Then I hear this voice... And it says..."  
  
HANYOU KOHANA...  
  
Chitsuko's scream was cut off as something cold and invisible tightened around her throat. She could feel a pair of unseen hands squeezing her neck pressing its fingers into her vocal chords, obstructing her breaths. She gasped, trying to pull them away, but her fingers slipped through them and were left with a cold, tingly sensation.  
  
A sensation that reminded her of death.  
  
At once Karasu was trying to feel her as well, but with no success. He clawed at the invisible hands, then suddenly froze. A large presence, cold as ice and deadly powerful, swept around them, carried by the chilling wind. Chitsuko fell to her knees, her cheeks now tinged purple from the lack of oxygen.  
  
HANYOU KOHANA... I'M COMING FOR YOU...  
  
"It's... the...voice!" the hanyou managed to choke out.  
  
The voice was deep and sharp as the presence around them. And the sensation of death hung in the air about them as Karasu gripped Chitsuko by the shoulders and frantically searched for the source of both the voice and the terrible feeling of power around them.  
  
HANYOU KOHANA... YOU CANNOT HIDE FROM ME...  
  
"WHO ARE YOU?" Karasu shouted. "WHAT DO YOU WANT?"  
  
THE LEGEND WILL DIE... AND THEN I WILL HAVE MY WILL... HANYOU KOHANA... YOU ARE MINE...  
  
Chitsuko pulled one last, sufficient amount of air into lungs and let out a bone-chilling scream.  
  
Then the presence was gone.  
  
The wind died down.  
  
And Chitsuko fainting, falling forward into Karasu's arms with a sigh.  
  
The crow wrapped his arms around her unconscious form and looked up towards the sky, his mind reeling and his heart pounding. "What is it this time?" he murmured to the heavens.  
  
No reply.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"So do you really think this will get Chitsuko back?"  
  
The voice of her little brother on the phone in the next room made Shizuru pause with the sandwich she was making in the kitchen. Walking softly over to the door that separated the kitchen from the living room, she slid the door open quietly and peeked around the frame.  
  
Kuwabara was sitting on the couch, the phone cradled to one ear, his back to her. "...I know I'm the phone who suggested it, Urameshi! What, do you think I'm stupid or something? At least we've found a way to ditch Kuronue for the night...Of course Chitsuko doesn't know about it. And neither does Shizuru!"  
  
"Now she does."  
  
The orange-haired boy fell over with a yell as Shizuru's slender hand reached out and pressed down on the receiver. Yusuke's voice on the other end of the line was replaced by the dial tone, and Kuwabara's panicked look was replaced by the brutal sting of his sister's fist.  
  
Hauling him up by his shirt, she smiled sweetly down at him. "Now, what's this that Chitsuko's not supposed to know? About getting her back?"  
  
"Uuuuhh, n-n-nothing, Shizuru..."  
  
"I love you, baby brother, now SPIT IT OUT!"  
  
"OKAYOKAYOKAY! Me and Urameshi are taking Kurama to Sasaki Hime so he can maybe find another girl to flaunt in Chitsuko's face and get her baaaaaaack! Pleeeeeeeeeease don't hurt me, Sis...." he whimpered.  
  
Shizuru studied his face for a moment; his expression told her he wasn't lying. "Alright... But just 'cause you're being honest..." She let him go, and he quickly scampered away towards his room.  
  
"Please don't tell any of this to Chitsuko!" the boy called over his shoulder as he ran into his room and slammed the door shut.  
  
Immediately Shizuru picked up the fallen receiver, her slender fingers quickly dialing a number. She held the phone up to her ear, listening to its melancholy ringing until a gentle, sweet female voice answered on the other end.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Keiko?" The girl smiled. "It's Shizuru. I need you to call Chitsuko. We're going out tonight."  
  
* * * * *  
  
"I feel really bad about lying to Karasu... Tell me again why we're sneaking over to Sasaki Hime, Shizuru-chan?"  
  
The older girl just laughed and replied, "You'll see."  
  
Shizuru, Keiko, Mayaka, and Chitsuko quickly ran across the busy street in front of the dance club. The loud, hard beats of the music seeped through the walls, echoing out into the air around the building and into the street. Shizuru, Keiko, and Mayaka had donned the trendiest outfits they could dig out of their closets.  
  
Chitsuko, however, had been spared no expense. The girls had all contributed to the kitsune's outfit, which could only be describe as risqué. The girl was wore, for the first time in her life, a tight black mini skirt that barely reached the middle of her thighs and left much of her tight stomach exposed. High-heeled black boots stretched up to her knees. Her shirt was a bright red and off-the-shoulder, sporting a bit of cleavage with the help of one of Shizuru's push-up bras, the hem clinging around the middle of her ribcage and the ends of the sleeves nearly past her knuckles. Around her neck hung Kuronue's pendant, a dazzling addition to the drop-dead ensemble.  
  
"You look sexy," Mayaka commented as they entered the club, elbowing Chitsuko playfully in the side as the two of them began to scan the crowd inside.  
  
Keiko whispered in Shizuru's ear, "Are you sure this is the place?"  
  
Shizuru nodded. "Straight from my baby brother's mouth. Ya gotta love 'em..."  
  
The girls made their way through the throng of bodies swaying in time with the upbeat techno music. The music reverberated off the walls and hung in the atmosphere, filling the dancers with energy and bringing smiles to their faces. As they moved towards the dance floor, Chitsuko couldn't help but smile herself.  
  
"CHITSUKO!"  
  
Hearing her name shouted over the music, the hanyou turned. Kaito Yuu came running up to her adjusting his glasses and grinning like an excited children. Mayaka, smiling wickedly, winked at Shizuru and Keiko before pushing the golden-haired girl forward to meet Kaito. She stumbled forward with a soft cry, only to have Kaito catch her.  
  
"Hey Chitsuko!" the boy exclaimed, running his hand through his mass of black curls. "I haven't seen you in YEARS! How've you been?"  
  
"I've been good, Kaito. Very good." She forced a smile onto her face. "How about you?"  
  
"Great, just great. When did you get back?"  
  
"Oh, about a week ago... I'm here for good now."  
  
"I see..."  
  
It was obvious Kaito was at a loss for words now. Nervously he glanced at the people dancing around them, just as the DJ started up a fresh remix. Someone from the crowd jumped up onto the stage beside him, grabbed the microphone, and began to sing.  
  
"Say..." The boy said, turning back to Chitsuko. "You wanna dance?"  
  
Chitsuko looked back at her friends, only to discover that they weren't there. After a few moments of fruitlessly scanning the crowd, the girl turned back to Kaito with a smile. "Sure."  
  
Liberation. A sense of freedom came over Chitsuko as she danced, letting herself go, her body moving in time with the music. Beside her, Kaito watched her with a smile, every now and then getting close enough to her to feel the joyful heat radiating from her body.  
  
"You look drop-dead gorgeous tonight," he murmured under the music.  
  
"Thank you!" she said happily, taking him by the hand and continuing to dance her anxieties away.  
  
Laughing to herself, she thought, If only Kurama could see me now...  
  
"This place is PACKED!"  
  
Across the room, Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama came through the entrance, the two human boys grinning, the youko looking uncertain.  
  
"Are you sure this is going to make me feel any better, Yusuke?" he asked. "Already I'm starting to feel..."  
  
And then he felt in. She was here. Somewhere in this building, Chitsuko was here. What she was doing, he didn't know. But the overwhelming desire to find out just what she was doing there overcame his sense. He darted forward, pushing his way through the crowd of people, following the trail of her spirit energy.  
  
"Kurama!' Kuwabara shouted. "Where are you GOING?!"  
  
Kurama didn't hear him. He was focused entirely on her, getting to her, finding her...  
  
As Chitsuko danced, she felt her the wildness of her fox spirit take over. She felt like she could do something outrageous, something crazy. If only Kurama were there, then she would show him just how much he truly meant to her...  
  
...Tell himjust how much she truly loved him...  
  
Kaito turned his gaze to meet hers, then slid past her and over her shoulder. He raised a hand in greeting at someone behind her, and his happy expression faltered slightly.  
  
"Hey, Minamino."  
  
Chitsuko whirled around to come face to face with Kurama.  
  
"Hello, Chit-chan... I didn't know you were going to be here tonight..."  
  
The hanyou then understood the motive behind Shizuru's dragging her there. She planted her hands on her hips, arranging herself so that her every curve was visible to the youko's eye. She smiled innocently and said, "Nor did I know you were here. What brings you to Sasaki Hime?"  
  
It was taking all of Kurama's will power from surrendering to her right there. He knew the game she was playing. But if she wanted to play, then he would play. Oh, would he play. "Actually, I'm here with Yusuke and Kuwabara. They were already going out, and I was feeling a little..." his gaze trailed up her figure, "...restless, so I decided to come along."  
  
"I see... I'm here with Shizuru, Keiko, and Mayaka. They told me I needed to get out more..." She grinned, flashing her smile in Kaito's direction. "So here I am."  
  
Kurama smiled; she was entirely too much. He moved closer to her, placing his hands firmly on her waist and rocking with her in time with the music. "Don't you think we're both being a little childish?" he whispered.  
  
"Hn," the girl chuckled with a wry grin, taking the redhead's face in her hands and pulling him down until they were just inches apart. "You're not ready for this kitsune..."  
  
His arms moved to completely encircle her waist and his eyes slid halfway closed with anticipation of a kiss. "I'm always ready..."  
  
"You can't handle this..." she murmured back.  
  
"I could...if you'd let me..."  
  
Kaito softly poked Chitsuko's shoulder. "Ummm.. Chitsuko-chan?"  
  
The call of the DJ invaded their ears. "Hey everyone!" he cried. "Tonight's Friday night, and you all know what that means!" There was a roar of approval and delight from the crowd. "OPEN MIC NIGHT! Anyone who knows the tune or is ready for a little improv is free to take the mic and entertain us!" A throbbing techo-pop song began to blare through the speakers. "Anyone who's up for it, be our guest!" He pushed the microphone back into its holder on the mic stand and returned to his turntables.  
  
An idea formed itself in Chitsuko mind, and at once she decided to go through with it. She pulled away from Kurama, gently, and whispered, "Is that right?" Then she turned and began to make her way towards the stage.  
  
Kurama was left with a lingering sensation of defeat and pain. Why is she able to do this to me? he thought. Why can't I just tell her...that I love her...  
  
Near the entrance, Kuwabara was still indignant. Suddenly Yusuke jabbed him painfully in the ribs and pointed off to their left, turning the boy's attention away from the crowd and his search for Kurama.  
  
"We've got company..."  
  
Shizuru, Keiko, and Mayaka were making their way towards them. All three girls were smiling and looking very pleased with themselves.  
  
"Hey boys," Shizuru said, clapping a hand onto her little brother's shoulder. "Fancy meeting you here!"  
  
"Shizuruuuuu!" Kuwabara whined. "Does Chitsuko know about this?"  
  
"Maybe you should ask her." Shizuru motioned towards the stage.  
  
In the midst of the energetic music, Chitsuko had climbed onto the stage and taken the microphone. She was now strolling about on the edge of the stage, tapping her feet in time with the hyper beats. A small crowd of guys had already begun to collect in front of the stage to watch, and she smiled at them as she opened her mouth to sing.  
  
"So long ago these worlds tore us apart,  
  
And now I'm back, stronger than before.  
  
I'm not that little girl you used to know.  
  
So much time has passed, and I need to know  
  
Your story...  
  
Tell me everything..."  
  
Kurama froze as Kaito began to move away, making his way towards the stage. Not once had he ever heard Chitsuko sing. Now he reveled in the sound of her voice, letting her words and melody flow over him life soft rain. The youko knew her words were directed towards him, and his heart gave a painful leap.  
  
"I've been through fire and ice, shed blood and tears,  
  
I've hit the ground and touched the sky.  
  
The wild wind has called my name,  
  
The earth has rolled beneath my feet.  
  
And now I'm here...  
  
Tell me everything..."  
  
The boys up front began to hoot and holler. Several even threw money on stage. Chitsuko winked again and kept singing, now swaying in time to the music and attracting more shouts of approval.  
  
Kuwabara's mouth dropped open. "I didn't know Chitsuko could sing..."  
  
"Neither could we," Keiko said, smiling at her friend up on stage, dancing amidst the flashing colored lights.  
  
"I did," Mayaka said matter-of-factly, watching her friend with pride.  
  
"Tell me you still want me.  
  
Tell me you still need me.  
  
What is that glimmer in your eyes tonight?  
  
Tell me it wasn't a dream.  
  
Tell me it wasn't an illusion.  
  
What does your heart say when it's beating next to mine?  
  
Hear my siren's song, I know you're listening.  
  
See my face, your eyes reflected in mine.  
  
Speak the words I want with all my heart to hear.  
  
Or do I need to start this seduction all over again?"  
  
Yusuke pointed at the singing Chitsuko and spoke to his friends without taking his eyes off her. "She's singing about Kurama, isn't she?"  
  
"Urameshi, I think this WHOLE THING is just to impress him!" Kuwabara exclaimed.  
  
Shizuru, Keiko, and Mayaka laughed.  
  
"There is no turning back from what I've done.  
  
I've let my heart carry me onward.  
  
So far it's never steered me wrong,  
  
And now I'm here in desperation  
  
Wanting you...  
  
Let me know...  
  
I've seen death and destruction, chaos and anarchy,  
  
I've felt pain and joy and sorrow.  
  
I've destroyed lies and found the truth,  
  
Walking through both shadows and light.  
  
And now I'm here...  
  
Let me know...  
  
Let me know I'm still on your mind.  
  
Let me know I'm still in your dreams.  
  
Do you see the desire in my eyes tonight?  
  
Let me know you still care.  
  
Let me know you still feel the same.  
  
Do you hear the promise of long ago?  
  
Hear my siren's song, I know you're listening.  
  
See my face, your eyes reflected in mine.  
  
Speak the words I want with all my heart to hear.  
  
Or do I need to start this seduction all over again?"  
  
Kurama was nearing his breaking point. He knew what she was saying. He knew what he wanted to say to her. He knew what was happening, and yet in a way he didn't... He mind was swimming, his heart was aching fiercely, and his body yearned for contact with hers... His thoughts moved to their first kiss, to their last kiss before she left, to the night he kissed her in Zoutarou's stronghold, just after she had rescued him...  
  
"Hear my siren's song, I know you're listening.  
  
See my face, your eyes reflected in mine.  
  
Speak the words I want with all my heart to hear.  
  
Or do I need to start this seduction all over again?"  
  
Then onstage, Chitsuko turned out to face the audience complete, and her bright blue-gray eyes sought out and locked on Kurama.  
  
"Do I need to start this seduction all over again?"  
  
As though he thought she would hear him, the youko whispered, "I love you, Chitsuko..."  
  
The song ended, followed by wild cheers and catcalls from the men before the stage. As Chitsuko took her bows and descended back onto the dance floor, shouts and screams of delight followed her, along with several tossed pieces of paper with phone numbers scribbled on them. She continued to revel in the attention she was getting until she was stopped by Kurama.  
  
"You sing beautifully, Kokitsune..."  
  
She barely had a chance to flash him her famous smile before his mouth was over hers. Once again he held her by the waist as she pressed against his chest, letting all thoughts of romantic vengeance fall away. The beat of the music slowed down to math the rhythm of their kiss, slow, deep and passionate. Neither one could break away. Neither one wanted to break away...  
  
"Well I'm glad to see you two worked things out..."  
  
Startled, the two foxes pulled away. They turned around to see the smiling faces of Yusuke, Kuwabara, Shizuru, Keiko, and Mayaka. Yusuke punched Kurama playfully in the shoulder and put one arm around Chitsuko's shoulders.  
  
"It's about TIME!"  
  
"Come on, let's go home. Or get a bite to eat, or something," Keiko said, tugging on Yusuke's shirt. "We've gotten done what we want to accomplish, haven't we?"  
  
"Yes," Kurama replied, wrapping one arm around Chitsuko's waist as the seven of them began to exit the club. "We have." 


	7. Chapter 6 Frustration

Aaaaaaaand another poem from Lobo-chan!!  
  
"Kurama was running as if in a dream  
  
Chitsuko running by his side.  
  
The earth was wet from the rain  
  
So on the grass, the began to slide.  
  
They ran out of forest and  
  
Conditions changed so drastically.  
  
What was green one moment was now ice  
  
And they were freezing mentally.  
  
But still they kept on running  
  
As if for their lives dear.  
  
Oblivious? Not totally  
  
of trouble that was near.  
  
They ran in utter silence  
  
As they ran to nowhere known.  
  
They were unaware and yet alert  
  
For trouble was to be shown.  
  
Soon a huge black titan  
  
Of shadow and darkness loomed.  
  
Telling them that the love they'd known  
  
Was soon to be doomed.  
  
Kurama was struck down easily  
  
But taking down dear Chit-chan was really rather tough  
  
Luckily, Kohana then took over there  
  
And showed she wasn't just girly stuff.  
  
Eventually the monster took her down  
  
So she closed her eyes and screamed.  
  
She opened them again in darkness  
  
And found it was a dream."  
  
Lobo-chan, I LOVE these poems! Once Kia-chan and I get up the Densetsu no Kagami and Kokitsune website, I'm DEFINITELY making a section in the library dedicated to your poems. =^^= Arigatou gozaimasu!!!  
  
I'm so happy all of you liked the last chapter. At least Kurama and Chitsuko have been reuniteeeed! ...But keep in mind, they haven't said "I love you" yet, and THAT, my friends, means EVERYTHING in this saga... ::opens umbrella to shield herself from the oncoming shower of Angst::  
  
THIS chapter is dedicated to EVERYONE who asked me: "Why did Hiei say he'd never go back to Ningenkai?! WHY ISN'T HE GOING TO BE IN REMEMORY?!?!"  
  
....Fooled ya again. ;D  
  
~Lexi-chan~  
  
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Chapter 6: Frustration  
  
"Hn."  
  
Hiei stood alone on his balcony, hands resting on the railing, hard ruby eyes gazing over the cold world of Makai. Absentmindedly he reached up to pass the back of his hand over his lips.  
  
He still felt her touch there.  
  
It had been a week since Chitsuko had returned to Ningenkai. A week.  
  
And no matter how much he denied it he knew he missed her.  
  
He was so used to waking up to the feel of her presence every morning, moving about somewhere in the castle or resting quietly in her room upstairs. So used to seeing her smiling face every day. So used to listening to her voice pour out melody after sorrowful melody as they raced along in their search for injured humans...  
  
"Hiei."  
  
The Jaganashi turned. Standing just inside the doorway of his room was Mukuro, a sad yet knowning smile on her face. Right away he knew something was wrong.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"There is someone here who has requested to see you..."  
  
Without waiting for a proper introduction or a further explaination, Botan bounced into the room, her light blue hair streaming behind her as she ran to Hiei. Her pink eyes held obvious anxiety, and her usually cheerful expression was serious and somber.  
  
Hiei stood motionless, shocked at the sight of her. He hadn't seen her in almost three years, not since the end of the Makai Bujutsukkai. "Botan...?"  
  
"Hiei," the ferrygirl said quickly, her voice devoid of it's normally chipper undertone. "I here to take you back to Ningenkai. On King Enma and Koenma's orders..."  
  
Confusion, anger, annoyance; a hundred different emotions exploded within his mind at the deity's sudden words. "Ningenkai? Are you crazy, woman!" he shouted. "What the hell would I want to go THERE for? Much less on the orders of your mighty King Enma!" He spat the holy name as though it were poisonous.  
  
Botan looked only slightly taken aback, straightening up and blinking slightly as she stared down at the Jaganshi. Mukuro had come up behind her, smiling softly. She nudged Botan, and the girl nodded in her direction before turning back to Hiei.  
  
"'What' would you want to go there for?" She giggled lightly. "Don't you mean 'who'?"  
  
Hiei looked from Botan to Mukuro. What he suspected in the ferrygirl's words he saw in his mistress's eyes.  
  
And he understood.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Four blocks away from the club, after going their separate ways from the others, Chitsuko was still giddy. She skipped and danced along the sidewalk, giggling happily to herself and throwing her arms up to the star- strewn sky. Kurama walked behind her with his hands in his pockets, watching her with loving amusement.  
  
"What is it about tonight?" the girl asked suddenly, halting suddenly and turning her face up to the night sky. "There's something in the air tonight, something strange..."  
  
Kurama laughed and wrapped one arm loosely around her waist, turning his ivy-green eyes upwards as well. "I agree. But I'm content just to see you happy..."  
  
"I'm content just to BE happy. Back in Makai, every day was a fight for survival..." She turned her head to look at him. "I told you whole story..."  
  
The redhead nodded and turned his eyes on her. "I'm sorry I could not be there for you then, Chit-chan."  
  
"It's alright, Kurama-kun..." With a soft sigh Chitsuko leaned upwards to kiss him swiftly and tenderly on the mouth. "You're here for me now..."  
  
Taking hold of his shirt just below his shoulders, Chitsuko pulled his head down for another kiss. Kurama reached up to stroke her hair as he responded to her warm kiss. The cold night seemed to melt away as the two foxes lost themselves in each other.  
  
Without warning a sharp, icy sensation shot through Chitsuko's back, exited through her chest and immediately passed through Kurama's, all in the blink of an eye. The two of them barely felt its entrance, but its exit was painful. They pulled apart from each other with a startled gasp, the girl taking a step back and bringing her hands to her mouth just as she was struck by a coughing fit. The cold, sharp sensation permeated the air around them and hung there, menacing and otherworldly.  
  
"Chitsuko, are you alright?" The youko took the girl by the shoulders and bent down to look her in the face.  
  
The hanyou took her hands away from her face and opened her mouth to answer, but her words were cut off as she coughed again. Blood spattered from her mouth onto her hands, drenching her soft skin with thick splotches of red.  
  
"Chit..." Kurama began her name as the urge to cough overcame him. "Chit...suko..." His efforts to quell the cough failed, and as he clenched his mouth shut to hide the inevitable, a spray of blood spurted through his teeth and dribbled down his chin.  
  
"Kurama!" Chitsuko managed to cry before she began to cough again, more blood splashing onto her hands. To her dismay, Kurama began to hack up blood as well, leaving both of them spitting blood onto the sidewalk.  
  
The coldness around them grew sharper, and where they stood it seemed to grow darker.  
  
HANYOU KOHANA...  
  
"No..." Chitsuko muttered, covering her ears with bloodstained hands. "Not again... Please go away..."  
  
The youko pulled her protectively against him as another dart of icy pain shot through them once more. This time Chitsuko cried out sharply, more blood spilling from her mouth.  
  
YOUKO KURAMA...  
  
"What are you?" the boy yelled. "Show yourself!"  
  
The wind picked up around them, and soon they were caught in its center, desperately trying to keep their feet on the sidewalk while it pulled and tugged at them. Chitsuko hacked another large amount of blood onto the ground beside her, then raised her eyes upwards.  
  
"What do you WANT?!" she cried forlornly.  
  
Kurama didn't want to risk more hurt to either of them by standing around any longer. Grabbing Chitsuko by the hand, he started at a full run down the sidewalk, the gold in tow.  
  
They ran a block without stopping, their feet pounding the pavement in fanatic rhythm. As they rounded a corner and turned onto Kurama's street, Chitsuko looked back over her shoulder at the scene they had just left.  
  
The wind was gaining of them, a visible presence that pulsed with blood red energy in her inner eye. Through them, she could just make out the ghostly image of a pair of eyes, black as shadows and just as frightening.  
  
"KURAMA!" she shouted, gripped his hand tighter and turning around again, away from the sight of the ghostly eyes. The girl's panicked run turned into a sprint, the youko quickly matching her stride beside her.  
  
The mysterious, otherworldly wind had almost caught up with them. They could feel it at their heels as they pelted forward, their eyes locked on the house, which sat halfway down the street, peaceful and unaware to the danger two of its inhabitants were in. The two foxes squeezed each other's hands for reassurance and increased their speed one last time, the images of the trees and houses around the blurred to nothing as they ran from the power than pursued them...  
  
Suddenly that power exploded behind them, the wind expanding into one enormous, suffocating presence. Kurama and Chitsuko were blow forwards, the boy wrapped his arms around the girl and turning onto his back as they hit the ground, protecting her from the hard smack of the cold pavement. The two of them skidded to a halt several feet from where their feet had left the ground, just as the power rose into the air and hovered above them.  
  
Once more those ghostly black eyes manifested themselves, only this time mere inches from their faces. Chitsuko let out a scream and turned her head away, squeezing her eyes shut against the image. But a force undoubtedly accompanying the power that raged around them roughly jerked her head around and her eyes open.  
  
The two eyes stared coldly into theirs, a light glint in them that indicated malice, mirth...  
  
Satisfaction...  
  
YOUKO KURAMA... HANYOU KOHANA... YOU WILL DIE...  
  
Then just as quickly as it had come, the wind died, the image of the eyes dissolved, and the presence disappeared, leaving the two foxes laying battered and frightened under the night sky.  
  
Kurama sat up, Chitsuko still clasped in his arms. The girl was oddly motionless and quiet; not even her breathing made the slightest noise.  
  
"Chitsuko-chan?"  
  
There came no reply from the girl.  
  
"Chitsuko-chan?" he asked again, getting onto his feet and pulling her up with him. There was no use in asking if she was alright; the hanyou hung her head, wavy golden tresses shielding most of her face and eyes from view. Her mouth was set in an expressionless line, and her cheeks looked pale.  
  
Gently Kurama guided her the rest of the remaining distance to the house. Once they were standing on the front porch, the youko turned to her again and placed his hands tenderly on her shoulders.  
  
"Chitsuko-chan..."  
  
"DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMNIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!"  
  
The scream pierced the cold night, shattering the eerie silence and setting off several car alarms nearby. Chitsuko jerked away from Kurama and tilted her head back let rip another cry of anguish that nearly broke the youko's heart.  
  
"Please, Chitsuko!" he coaxed, reaching out for her. "Calm down!"  
  
But she wouldn't listen to him. It seemed as though she couldn't even hear him. She fell to her knees before the front door, sobbing and screaming, hot, fat tears running down her face as her vocal chords seemed to burst in her throat, creating an almost unearthly sound that Kurama had never heard before in all his thousand years of existence.  
  
"Please, Chitsuko, you'll wake everyone up!"  
  
At once the front door flew open. Kuronue darted out of the house and over to Chitsuko, immediately grabbing her by the wrists and pulling her to her feet. Karasu ran out behind him, a stern expression on his face; he wore no mask.  
  
"Chitsuko, what's WRONG?" Kuronue asked, shaking the already trembling girl gently.  
  
The hanyou continued to wail and cry, unable to answer the chimera.  
  
"CHITSUKO!" he shouted, shaking her harder.  
  
She didn't respond. Seeing his pendant dangling from her neck, he closed his fingers around it, tugging down and swiftly breaking its chain. He held the pendant aloft, its bright red gem facing Chitsuko, as the crow circled around her to grab her by the arms and force her chin up to look at the necklace.  
  
"Chitsuko," Karasu said sternly. "Open your eyes.  
  
To Kurama surprise, and slight anxiety, the girl obeyed. Kuronue began to swing the pendant back and forth in front of her, making a soft humming sound deep in his throat. The girl's tears ceased to flow and her eyelids began to droop as she watched the jewelry swing to and fro in front of her.  
  
"Chitsuko," Kuronue said softly, yet sternly. "You need to rest. Go to sleep. Rest your thoughts. When you wake up, you will have no memory of this night..."  
  
No memory of this night...?! Kurama thought with alarm. But that would mean that she would forget the...!  
  
"Kuronue, don't!" Kurama cried, running forward to snatch the pendant out of the air and cease its swinging.  
  
But it was too late. Chitsuko's eyes had already slid shut and she slumped backwards into Karasu's arms. The crow cradled her like a child and carried her into the house.  
  
Kuronue eyed Kurama warily. "What, you WANT her to suffer?"  
  
"I know she was in pain, but..." The youko's voice trailed off. Kuronue wouldn't understand what he was walking about. Kuronue couldn't understand. Couldn't understand just how much her loved her. But now that she wouldn't remember the incident in the dance club, she wouldn't remember they had gotten back together either...  
  
"Well, Fox?" The chimera raised one eyebrow and placed his hands on his hips. "Spit it out."  
  
"Nevermind..." Kurama replied and followed Karasu dejectedly into the house.  
  
Kuronue kicked the door shut behind them once all four of them were safely in the house. When Kurama opened his mouth to hush the chimera, the tall youkai waved it off as he tramped past Kurama to examine the girl in Karasu's arms.  
  
"Shuichi's out on a date or something and your parents are having dinner. The house is empty." The chimera secured the pendant around the girl's neck once more, then ran his fingers down her cheek. "She's stone cold. Better put her to bed..."  
  
Karasu lead the way up the stairs and to Kurama's room, the chimera and the fox trailing behind him. The crow set the girl down on Kurama's bed while Kuronue fetched a bowl of warm water and a washcloth to clean the blood off her face and hands.  
  
"What happened out there?" Karasu asked as he watched Kurama push several strands of golden-brown hair off Chitsuko's face.  
  
"We heard another voice... It wasn't the same one I heard before. The previous one belonged to a female and seemed less dangerous, while this one was dark and masculine. She was terrified..." He sighed and his eyes softened as he gazed down at the girl sleeping on the bed. "I was terrified as well..."  
  
"You? Afraid?" The crow grinned slightly.  
  
"Afraid for her... The voice spoke our demon names...then told us we were going to die... Then there was a pair of eyes black as ink..." Kurama bowed his head. "I don't think I've ever seen her so afraid... In so much pain..."  
  
The youko laced his fingers through the hanyou's limp ones and clasped her hand tightly. "Not even I could soothe her then..."  
  
Kuronue entered the room, setting the bowl of water down on the bedside table and handing the washcloth over to Kurama. The redhead dipped the clothe in the water, wrung it out, then tenderly began to clean away the blood that stained the girl's cheeks, chin, and hands.  
  
"You handle her carefully, Fox," Karasu remarked quietly. "Lovingly..."  
  
Kuronue glanced down at Chitsuko's form with softened eyes. Turning away, he directed his stare out the window as he asked, "You love her?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
There was no pause between question and answer.  
  
"Have you told her?"  
  
There was a short pause.  
  
"No..."  
  
All three fell silent, their eyes turning to the sleeping girl's form. A thick tension hung in the air as they glanced at each other out of the corners of their eyes, silently daring each other to make the first move, whether it be to exit the room or make some motion towards the girl on the bed.  
  
Finally, at the apex of the tension, Kurama replaced the cloth in the bowl of water and stood up. Slowly he leaned over, letting his eyes slide shut and brushing his lips softly against Chitsuko's. After parting, he hovered above her face for a moment, brushing her golden bangs off her forehead as he gazed down at her with unbridled love in his eyes.  
  
"I love you..."  
  
"Come on, Kurama..." the chimera said, laying a hand on the youko's shoulder. "Let's let her sleep..."  
  
Reluctantly Kurama backed away from the bed, his eyes still glued to Chitsuko's sleeping form. As he neared the door, Karasu took him by the shoulders and turned him away, gently pushing him out of the room behind Kuronue. Once they were all out in the hallway, the crow took one last, compassionate glance at the girl on the bed before sliding the door shut behind him with a soft click. 


	8. Chapter 7 Decisions

Kazuya Hatanaka is the name of Kurama's human stepfather. I just wanted to clear that up so you all know who I'm talking about when Chitsuko yells "KAZUYA-SAN!" Extra big thanks to Kia-chan for finding the name for me! ::huggles::  
  
Midterms are next week..... If I'm diligent I can get out ONE MORE chapter before Tuesday, the day midterms start. O.o;;;; Wish me luck!  
  
A note to all of you: Rememory will tie up all those loose ends I left in the other four sagas. Zoutarou's grudge against Kurama (stealing his soul? O.o Whaaaa?), what really happened to Kohana's father, and what's up with this Sanshi dude? What's his anal-retentive DEAL?! You'll soon find out. ^^  
  
~Lexi-chan~  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------  
  
Chapter 7: Decisions  
  
"I love you..."  
  
The words came from far off, somewhere beyond Chitsuko's natural hearing. It was as if a curtain was suddenly drawn up, uncovering her obscured eyes; pitch black gave way to a familiar landscape of thick trees with wavy green leaves, the ground scattered with bushes and miscellaneous flowers her and there.  
  
The forest from her dreams.  
  
She remembered walking through this forest all too well. Years ago, when she was still a small child, she would dream of this forest. She would be running, swift and hard, her feet barely touching the soft earth beneath her. And beside her ran a man, muscular and strong, with long silvery-white hair, white fox ears and a white tail...  
  
But what was she doing here now?  
  
Obviously she was dreaming. She took several slows steps forward then halted abruptly as a cold sensation overcame her, and the air began to reek of death.  
  
It was here.  
  
Whatever spirit it was that had attacked her and Kurama in Ningenkai, it was here now, in her dreams, waiting for her...  
  
"Hanyou Kohana..."  
  
The voice was deep and sharp, yet softer than when she had heard it before. From behind it, it called her name again.  
  
"Hanyou Kohana... We finally meet face-to-face..." There was a chuckle. "Or should I say, we meet again, face-to-face..."  
  
Chitsuko was intelligent; she knew what he meant. He indeed was the ghostly presence that had assaulted her mere hours ago...  
  
Slowly she turned around, only to be pinned under the gaze of those same depthless black eyes. They were set into a round head on a tanned, muscular body. The man's long white hair was pulled tightly back into a high ponytail and plated into dozens of thin braids that hung down to his shoulder blades. A strip of red fabric was tied around his forehead, the long ends trailing down his back. He wore a black kimono shirt with a white one underneath that revealed part of his toned chest, the sleeves of both garments having been torn off. A red sash was tied around his waist, holding his shirts closed, and his legs were clad in a pair of red pants tucked into knee-high black boots. Red fabric was also wound around his wrists and upper arms in small, tight bands that clung to his muscles. His features showed no signs of age, and he looked to be no more than twenty in ningen years. Overall, he was a handsome, and a smile was planted on his face.  
  
Chitsuko was not threatened by his appearance, but his aura proved how deceiving his looks really were. She shivered violently and took a step backwards, her eyes locked on him.  
  
His smile widened. "I told you I would be coming for you."  
  
"N-now?" she croaked, unable to find the strength to speak correctly. "Who... Who are you?"  
  
A light breeze blew through the forest, ruffling the man's many braids and giving him an almost majestic look as he stood motionless in the rising wind. "You have heard of me before."  
  
"Have I?" It was a stupid question to ask an attack and stalker, but it was all the girl could think to say.  
  
The man took slow steps towards her, the smile on his face dissolving into a hard, blank expression. "Touhin Zoutarou and Yokozuki Guukan's master... Your father's protector..." He stopped to study her with his dark eyes. "Your worst nightmare..."  
  
Zoutarou, Yokozuki, and her father had been in the same group of demon hunters. Chitsuko's thoughts began to spin as she racked her brain for the name of the youkai who had lead them...  
  
"Sanshi," she said softly as she finally found the name.  
  
The man nodded. "Sanshi Kokuei." His smile returned to the corners of his mouth. "Even in your ningen form, you are beautiful."  
  
Ignoring his flattery, she asked, "How did you find me?"  
  
Sanshi chuckled. "Don't you mean to ask, 'What am I doing here?'"  
  
Chitsuko planted her feet firmly on the ground and let her stormy blue-gray eyes settle on his. "I'll play your game... What are you doing here?"  
  
"I'm here for you and Youko Kurama, of course."  
  
"What do you want from us?"  
  
"Your lives."  
  
The calmness in his voice frightened her, and she felt the courage in her heart flicker. She swallowed hard before speaking again. "What for?"  
  
"Because I want them." He tilted his head slightly to one side, as though studying her. "Do I need a reason?"  
  
"Yes. Humor me."  
  
"You're a brave little kitsune, aren't you?" He slowly advanced towards her again, and the air temperature around the girl decreased alarmingly fast. "I want to kill you because I've heard the stories about both you and the infamous thief. And I hate stories...."  
  
"That's a half-assed reason to want to kill someone..."  
  
He stopped when he was about a foot away from her and laughed, his sharp voice echoing throughout the empty forest. "Of course, I want your power as well..."  
  
Chitsuko growled low in her throat and clenched her hands into fists. "God damnit..."  
  
"Your frustration is unnecessary. Who in all of the Three Realms hasn't heard of the ancient power than runs through your veins?" When the girl didn't move or reply, his jovial expression faltered. "Don't tell me no one has ever told you the story behind your power?"  
  
Again the girl just stared at him, unable to find words for the situation.  
  
"Perhaps I should be the one to tell you..." he began. "You see, your power stems from two major contributions: the power of your mother and the power of your father. Misao seldom used her power; she relied on her beauty, intellect, and cunning to get her out of tight situations. But she was a member of the pack of youkos that Kurama came from, and thus possessed the same capabilities and skill he did. Jekku, on the other hand, showed to possess a mass amount of spirit energy and used it to his advantage. His most common attack was a raw blast of his spirit energy, what you now call a Spirit Gun. His bloodline can be traced back to the most spiritually aware humans the Three Realms have ever known, and his descendants still possess that power, along with his trait for high spirit awareness." He paused for a moment, then added thoughtfully, "I believe that as of now there are only two of the Tomoe line left alive..."  
  
"Two?" the girl asked, now suddenly curious. "One is me... Who is the other?"  
  
Sanshi opened his mouth to reply when a ray of purple fire shot past them, just grazing Sanshi's shoulder. The youkai whirled around to face his attacker, then turned back to Chitsuko again, his eyes glittering with quiet malice. As a fiery presence invaded Chitsuko's senses, his voice was low and cold as he spoke to her one last time.  
  
"I will come back for you and Kurama... Then the legend will die and I will have the power I've wanted for so long..."  
  
Then he was gone, and Chitsuko felt a familiar voice calling out to her as she slipped back into her world of darkness.  
  
"Chitsuko... Chitsuko!"  
  
* * * * *  
  
When Chitsuko opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was darkness. Her eyes flitted to the dark shadows in the corners of her room and over her bed, and at once terror and panic seized her.  
  
"SHIORI-SAN!" she cried, pushing herself up on to her elbows. "KAZUYA-SAN! SHUICHI-KUN! KARA..."  
  
Her screams were cut off as a calloused hand slapped itself over her mouth. She jolted into an upright position and moved to punch her assaulter, but a strong arm wrapped itself around her back and grabbed her wrist. Another arm, attached to the hand on her mouth, pressed itself against her breastbone, locking her upper body in place and constricting her movement.  
  
With a useless whimper, she looked up towards her assailant. Two ruby red eyes glittered in the darkness below a third eye that radiated with a soft violet glow.  
  
"Mmmph!" Her word was muffled under the hand.  
  
"Yes, that's right," the figure said softly. "'Mmmph.'"  
  
Suddenly the door to Kurama's room burst open and the youko darted into the room, brandishing his Rose Whip and closely followed by Karasu and Kuronue. The chimera raised his scythe to attack but stopped as Karasu flung his arm out in front of him and pointed at the redhead.  
  
Kurama was standing still as stone, wide-eyed with shock. His gaze was locked on the small, shadowy figure that held Chitsuko in its grasp and the soft light radiating from it.  
  
"HIEI!"  
  
The youkai released the girl and stood up, letting his arms fall to his sides. "Observant as always, Kurama."  
  
"Three years..." The youko breathed, taking a step forward towards his old friend. He smiled softly. "I thought you weren't coming back to Ningenkai?"  
  
"That's what I thought," he replied, watching Chitsuko as she swung her legs over the side of the bed to sit on its edge. "King Enma, however, thought differently."  
  
"King Enma?" Kuronue lowered his scythe somewhat reluctantly.  
  
"King Enma had Koenma send for me. I have official Reikai orders to stay here until they finish piecing together the puzzle of these mysterious voices and lights."  
  
"Voices and lights?" Chitsuko stared at the fire demon, anxiously wringing her hands. "We know about the voices.. But the lights?"  
  
"I take it Reikai hasn't been telling you much..."  
  
"No. Nothing at all."  
  
"Hn." The Jaganshi chuckled. "Unfortunately I can't tell you anything either. I was simply told to come here and protect you, and use my Jagan to trace these mysterious presences back to their source."  
  
He glanced at the girl out of the corner of his eyes, and she heard his voice in her mind.  
  
From your dream we know of one...  
  
She answered back quickly. Don't say anything, please... I want to see how far this goes before Reikai finally tells us something... After a moment she added, And I don't want Kurama to worry..  
  
Inconspicuously, Hiei turned back to the others. "I presence you two are here for the same reason as well?" he addressed to Karasu and Kuronue.  
  
The crow nodded. "We were sent here not too long ago."  
  
The Jaganshi turned to the youko next. "You realize this is getting far too out of hand to keep to yourselves anymore. I suggest we take council with the others. If anything, we'll be able to figure out what to do about this whole confusing situation." He flicked a softened look at Chitsuko. "Like they say, you find strength in numbers..."  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Weird voices, strange presences, Chitsuko getting possessed and both her and Kurama getting attacked." Yusuke waved his hand dramatically in the air as he plopped down onto his bed. "And I thought that whole thing with Sensui was the weirdest mission yet... Now we have to find out who, or WHAT, is stalking you two."  
  
From their position near the door, Kurama and Chitsuko lowered their eyes to the floor. "I'm sorry to burden you guys again..." the girl said softly, bowing her head.  
  
"'Burden us'?" Kuwabara exclaimed, jumping to his feet. "Chitsuko, you're our friend, we're ALL friends here. And we all protect each other, no matter what..."  
  
"I just feel like I'm...like I'm..." She closed her eyes and turned away.  
  
Karasu moved away from Kuronue's side to lay his hands on her shoulders. "Do not fret, Kokitsune. We'll solve this puzzle soon..."  
  
"But as of now, there are far too many pieces missing," Kurama said. "We already know that it is Misao, Kohana's mother, who has been trying to contact us. And the other spirit... Well, we know almost nothing about him..."  
  
"He was my father's master."  
  
All eyes turned to Chitsuko.  
  
The girl didn't wait for a response before continuing. "His name is Sanshi Kokuei. He was the leader of the band of demon hunters that my father, Zoutarou, and Yokozuki belonged to. He wants us dead for our power, but what he plans to do and where he came from...I don't know..."  
  
There was a long, tense silence. Kurama moved to wrap one arm around Chitsuko's waist and pull her close to him.  
  
"How do you know this?" Mayaka asked, shifting to sit on her knees and gaze softly at her pained friend.  
  
"He came to me in a dream last night... That's why I woke up screaming..."  
  
"I knew Sanshi..." Kurama said quietly, shifting everyone's focus to him. "A horrible menace with a relentless thirst for power and domination. But he was destroyed by the youko you're named after, the first Kohana.... What I don't understand is why he's back...and how he's back..."  
  
"I know someone who could set this whole thing straight," Yusuke said suddenly, standing up. "Genkai."  
  
"Yeah!" Kuwabara grinned. "I bet the old lady could figure this out!"  
  
"Genkai?" Chitsuko asked, a quizzical look on her face. "Who's Genkai?"  
  
"My teacher." The Tantei grinned. "Her spirit energy and awareness is off the charts. If anyone can figure out this whole mess, it's her."  
  
"What we need is have Misao speak to us again," Hiei said from his spot on the windowsill. "She can give us more information."  
  
"Genkai can lure her out! I know she can!" Yusuke punched his fist into the air and shouted, "Ba-san, here we come!" 


	9. Chapter 8 Blood Ties

I am so evil to Chitsuko and Kurama.... Or am I? ^^  
  
So what is this about Hanyou Kohana having ONE living relative??!?! Who could it be?!?! O.O ....We'll soon find out...  
  
~Lexi-chan~  
  
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Chapter 8: Blood Ties  
  
Chitsuko was the first to wake up the next morning. Seeing the rest of the house was still sleeping, she quietly crept to the bathroom and flicked on the light.  
  
Staring at her reflection in the mirror she sighed, twisting one long clump of golden waves around her slender fingers. She had imagined finding peace on her return to Ningenkai, nothing but serenity and happiness. But she had been rudely awake to reality...  
  
Her reality...  
  
The hanyou sighed and pulled down a towel from the linen closet behind her, tossing it careless on the counter before reaching out to turn on the water. She paused for a moment, then withdrew, scurrying back down the hallway to her room to get the bottle of Restoration Tonic Suzuki had given her. The youkai had said that it worked better than any medicine or wound-cleanser, and would even suffice as a sort of body oil. The girl could only imagine the effects it would have on her while letting the hot water of the shower run over her.  
  
As she disappeared into her room once more, Kurama came trudging up the stairs, one hand tangled in his long red tresses. They would be departing for Genkai's in a hour or so, and he wanted to get one more shower in before their retreat into the wilderness to visit the old psychic. Seeing the light was already on in the bathroom, he cautiously peered around the door frame to see if anyone was inside.  
  
It was empty. He made his way inside and immediately turned on the water at full blast. The youko smiled upon seeing one of the fluffy white towels from the linen closet sitting on the counter beside the sink.  
  
"'Kaasan," he murmured quietly in silent thanks. Then he left the bathroom to dispose of his nightclothes in the hamper down the hallway.  
  
From the opposite end of the corridor, Chitsuko darted out of her room and down to the bathroom once more. The sound of running water reached her ears, and she halted in the doorway. "That's funny..." she muttered to herself as she stepped cautiously into the bathroom. "I don't remember turning the water on..." She set the bottle of restoration tonic down on the counter, still eyeing the water and steam that now poured from the shower. The kitsune discarded her satin lavender pajamas, which had been Kurama's to begin with, and tossed them into the corner before snatching up the bottle of tonic and stepping into the warmth of the shower stall.  
  
She closed the curtain behind her and let the warm water slide over her body. She signed contentedly and tilted her head back, letting the steam and hot liquid weave its way through her long golden hair, washing away the sweat that had matted it down the night before, the last reminder of the nightmares that had plagued her sleep. With a soft yawn she moved to the other side of the rectangular stall where the water couldn't reach her, then uncorked the Restoration Tonic and brought it to her nose to sniff the contents of the bottle.  
  
The girl didn't hear Kurama as he entered the bathroom once more, the noise of the water obscuring her hearing. The boy closed the door behind him and groaned softly as he untied his bathrobe and let it fall to the floor. He pulled back the shower curtain just enough for him step into the stall and let the hot water cascade down his lithe body.  
  
Both foxes sighed contentedly and took a step backwards to feel the force of the water at it's fullest...  
  
...And stopped when they felt soft, wet skin at their backs.  
  
Both Chitsuko and Kurama whirled around at the same time, the girl letting out a startled cry, despite the bright, satisfied blush on her face. She reached out and grabbed for the shower curtain and moved to jump out of the stall. Kurama moved to the do the same as he tried to wipe away the blood pouring from his nose. Chitsuko slipped on the slick surface of the stall's floor, and with a snapping of plastic rings both girl and boy fell with a deafening thud on the shower floor, the latter falling on the former with the shower curtain between them, barely doing a suitable job of covering their nakedness from each other. The girl's grip on the bottle of tonic loosened, and it flew from her hands and hit the boy on the back of the head, its entire contents pouring down his face and dripping onto the girl's chest.  
  
There was a loud knocking on the bathroom door. "Shuichi, honey?! Are you alright?!"  
  
Kurama pushed himself up onto his elbows, his ivy-green eyes making short contact with Chitsuko's bright blue-gray ones before turning to glance at the closed door. "I'm fine, mother!"  
  
"Alright... I thought I heard Chitsuko scream..."  
  
"Uh... No! That was...er...me!"  
  
"Okay! Breakfast will be read in half an hour!" The woman's footsteps retreated down the hallway towards the stairs.  
  
Kurama turned back towards Chitsuko. The girl was staring up at him, her eyes wide. It took him a moment to realize that she was gripping the sides of the tub and that her legs were bent upwards. He had fallen directly on top of her, the same way he had almost four years ago, the day he carried her home after Kai and his minions had first attack them...  
  
He sat up and brushed his wet hair out of his eyes, doing his best to keep his lower regions covered with the shower curtain. The youko held out a hand to the startled hanyou, and she took it hesitantly before pulling herself up into a sitting position in front of him. The curtain slipped down her chest and she quickly pulled it up again and held it against her breasts. They sat there in awkward silence for a long time with only the sound of running water around them. Both were flushed from the hot water and slight embarrassment, heavy crimson showing under raw pink on their cheeks.  
  
Kurama opened his mouth for an apology but discovered that he could not find his voice. He wanted to reassure her that he hadn't seen anything, and that there was nothing to be flustered about, but there was no substance behind that empty reassurance. He had indeed seen something. In fact, he had seen everything. But for as long as he had known her, he had never thought that it would happen like this...  
  
Chitsuko rubbed her eyes frantically, trying to erase the image of Kurama's naked form from her mind. But despite her efforts, she found that she couldn't. Damn him, he's too sexy for me... she thought, turning her gaze back to the boy sitting across from her.  
  
The youko took a deep breath, finally managing to find his voice long enough to speak a coherent sentence. "Well... You can take your shower now."  
  
The girl blinked pitifully at him, and then the corners of her mouth twitched and she breathed out a giggle. She giggled again, and this time a full smile broke out on her face. "Kurama..."  
  
The boy chuckled, and soon both of them were sitting under the jet of steaming water, laughing like children. To Kurama's surprise, Chitsuko reached out and put her arms around him in a friendly, wet hug. He returned the gesture of affection, still laughing, and planted a soft kiss on the top of her head.  
  
She tensed suddenly at the feel of his lips and pulled back, anxiety shining in her eyes. Oh no... Kurama thought sadly. She really doesn't remember last night... With a light, dejected sigh he reached for his bathrobe and held it around his waist as he climbed out of the shower.  
  
"Kurama-kun?"  
  
The youko sat on the floor beside the tub. "Yes Chit-chan?"  
  
"What's Genkai like? I mean she's not going to..."  
  
"Don't worry, Chit-chan. You'll like her, and she'll like you." He smiled. "She's a wonderful person." Kurama reached out and took her hand in his, stroking the back of her hand tenderly with his thumb.  
  
"Oh. Alright..." The girl laced her fingers through his and smiled softly, her eyes regaining that usual cheerful sparkle they always held.  
  
It was now or never.  
  
"Chitsuko-chan... I need to tell you something..."  
  
The girl's eyes widened slightly. "Yes?"  
  
"Chitsuko... I lo..."  
  
"Shuichi! Honey! You've been in there for almost forty minutes! Are you alright?"  
  
"Yes mother!" he shouted in the general direction of the door. "I'll be out in a minute!" Kurama turned back to Chitsuko. "We're leaving at nine. Be ready, and I'll talk to you more then." He moved to leave, then stopped to gaze thoughtfully at Chitsuko.  
  
"Kurama-kun..?"  
  
The youko quickly leaned forward, covering the girl's mouth with his own in a brief yet passionate kiss. Then he swiftly left the bathroom, closing the door behind him and leaving a very startled Chitsuko dizzy with love and a lot to think about.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Jeeze, ya think this place has enough stairs?" Mayaka groaned, brushed her bangs out of her honey-colored eyes.  
  
Yusuke, Kuwabara, Hiei, Kurama, Chitsuko, Keiko, Shizuru, Mayaka, Karasu and Kuronue had made the long walk through the forest and into the hills towards Genkai's temple, and now it was nearly sunset. The ten of them had almost reached the top of the seemingly endless stone stairway that lead to the living quarters of the temple and dojo.  
  
"She lives all the way out here for a reason, ya know," Yusuke remarked. "She's not very big on people, and besides, all this seclusion-in- nature-stuff does her a lot of good. Hones her skills, lets her relax..."  
  
At last they crested the hill and the stairway came to an end. In the clearing before them, at the base of another mountain, an entire temple and dojo was spread out, each building connect with a series of small wooden walkways and surrounded by wooden porches. Towards the back sat a small hot spring rimmed with gray stones and another smaller clearing that was obviously made for sparring.  
  
"BA-SAN!" Yusuke called, starting at a run towards the main doors of the dojo. "OPEN UP, GRANDMA!"  
  
The others took off after him just as the door slid open to reveal a small, aged woman. Her skin was pallid and thinly creased and her wavy pink hair was cropped just below her shoulders. She wore a small red tunic trimmed with purple and green over a pair of white pants and a log white shirt. She stared her approaching visitors through heavy lidded eyes, and a small smile broke out on her face.  
  
"If it isn't my favorite dimwit and his friends," she said, surveying them as they stopped on the steps in front of her. "And here are some people I don't recognize..."  
  
"This," Yusuke said, beginning his introductions, "is Karasu." He pointed to the crow, who nodded. "You remember him from the Ankoku Bujutsukkai."  
  
The woman looked him over, then nodded. "Yes, Botan told me all about your little ordeal on one of her visits. I believe you've redeemed yourself...."  
  
"This is Kuronue, Kurama's dead. well. err.."  
  
"I was his partner a long time ago." Kuronue jumped in. "I was killed and resurrected," he said, flashing a smile at the hanyou that stood beside him.  
  
"We heard about you during the whole affair with Yakumo and the Netherworld," Genkai said matter-of-factly, nodding her approval to him as well.  
  
"This is Mayaka, she's a friend of Kurama and Chitsuko's."  
  
The raven-haired girl waved politely and smiled.  
  
"And THIS," Yusuke said with finality as he grabbing Chitsuko by the shoulders and shoved her in front of him, "is Chitsuko Ichihara."  
  
Chitsuko stared down at the woman, who gazed up at her just as intently. She began to fidget with the hem of her skirt, waiting for Genkai to say something.  
  
When she finally spoke, it was in a low, even voice. "Chitsuko Ichihara, also known as the reincarnation of the infamous Hanyou Kohana. I've heard much about you from the others..." She scrutinized her closely, her eyes narrowing slightly. "You are indeed powerful. I can feel your strength, physical, mental, and spiritual."  
  
The hanyou let herself smile. "It's nice to meet you, Genkai-san."  
  
"Genkai-san! Genkai-saaaaan!" A young girl came running out of the dojo, clothed in a short pink dress and a black sweatjacket. She stopped beside the woman and gazed out at the ten visitors before her with wide ruby-red eyes not unlike Hiei's. Her pale green hair was tied back in a low ponytail with a red hair ornament similar to the one Chitsuko had seen Kaeru wear, with two clumps of her light tresses hanging down on either side of her face.  
  
Her eyes lit up and she smiled, turning to face them. "Yusuke, Kazuma, everybody! It's so nice to see you!"  
  
Kuwabara ran forward, a huge grin on his face, and fell to his knees before the girl. "It's wonderful to see you too, Yukina-san!" He took one of her small hands in his large ones. "I've missed you sooooooo!"  
  
"'Yukina'?" Chitsuko blinked, turning to look at Hiei beside her.  
  
"She is Koorime," Hiei said softly, his eyes glued to the smiling girl. "We rescued her from an evil crime lord a few years back."  
  
"Oh..." The hanyou turned back to look at the Koorime, smiling gently. "She has eyes like yours, Hiei."  
  
He went suddenly tense beside her and said nothing.  
  
"Who is you?" Yukina asked suddenly, pointing to Chitsuko, Mayaka, Kuronue and Karasu.  
  
Yusuke recited his introductions again, putting special emphasis on Chitsuko once more. It took him a few minutes to convince the girl that Karasu was no longer evil or under the influence of Toguro, and even after he did so she still seemed a little nervous.  
  
"What are we all standing around for?" Genkai asked once they were all finished greeting each other. "It's obvious you've come here for a reason."  
  
"It's about Chitsuko," Kurama said, stepping forward and putting one arm around the girl. "She's being haunted by the ghosts of her mother and her father's master, Sanshi Kokuei. I presume Botan told you her family's history..."  
  
Genkai nodded. "She did."  
  
"Her and I have already been threatened by Sanshi on more than one occasion. We need to trace where his spirit is coming from and what her mother's warnings mean."  
  
"I see... Step inside." The old woman motioned into the dojo. "We have a long night ahead of us."  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Genkai-san suggested a vigil?" Yukina asked as she helped Mayaka and Keiko drape blankets of their futon.  
  
The entire group was in the man room of the temple, transforming it into makeshift sleeping quarters for the night. The boys rolled out sleeping bags and mounds of blankets while the more delicate girls made up futons for themselves.  
  
"Yes," Chitsuko answered, reaching over to help Kurama smooth on his sleeping bag next to hers. "Everyone is going to keep an eye on me until another one of the spirits tries to contact me or Kurama." She sat back to look over at the young Koorime. "Last time my mother's spirit visited me, she put my body through so much pain trying to enter me that I passed out. And since people are more in tune with the spirit world when they're asleep, it was the perfect opportunity for her to completely possess me and speak through me."  
  
"Oh..." Yukina looked slightly nervous as she stood up. "Were you alright?"  
  
The hanyou smiled. "I am now." She stood up and made her way through the sea of blankets towards the door. "Why don't I help you bring dinner in, hm?"  
  
"Oh, thank you, Chitsuko-san!" The Koorime scurried after her, and the two of them set out into the chilly night towards the living quarters where the kitchen was located.  
  
"So what brings you all the way out here to Ningenkai, Yukina?" the golden-haired girl asked as they turned a corner.  
  
"Well, all of my friends live her, and Genkai-san was nice enough to let me live with her." Her sweet smile faded and the twinkle in her eyes dimmed. "And I'm looking for someone.."  
  
"Looking for someone? Like who?"  
  
"My.. My brother..."  
  
"You have a brother? What does he look like?"  
  
"That's just it, I don't know..." The Koorime's voice was soft and sad. "I know nothing about him, except that he is a skilled martial artist, and holds some forbidden power..."  
  
"I see..."  
  
"I've never seen him. When I was little he was thrown off the island of Koorime...or something..."  
  
Seeing this was a touchy topic, the kitsune quickly changed the subject. "So, do you like it here in Ningenkai?"  
  
The Koorime brightened slightly. "Oh yes, very much!"  
  
"CHITSUKO-CHAN! YUKINA-CHAN!"  
  
The two girls turned to see a familiar blue-haired deity speeding down from the sky on a boatman's oar. She was waving frantically, and behind her sat a young man with short-cropped brown hair sucking on a small pink-tinted pacifier.  
  
"Botan-chan! Koenma-sama!" The hanyou and the Koorime ran back down the length of the wooden walkway towards the stairs, arriving in front of the open temple doors just as the ferrygirl and Reikai ruler landed. The Koorime ran forward to give Botan a greeting hug and bow respectfully to Koenma.  
  
"Koenma? Botan?" Yusuke and the others had heard the commotion and were now clustered on the porch. "What are you two doing here?"  
  
"I've come to speak with all of you on a matter of importance," Koenma said, his glinting amber eyes settling on Chitsuko. "I can imagine you already have an idea what this is all about..."  
  
"Yes," Genkai said as she made her way to the front of the group. "I was expecting you to come. I trust you'll stay for our little vigil? I've set up two more futons inside."  
  
"Thank you, Master Genkai. We will indeed be staying." The Reikai ruler ascended the stairs and made his way into the temple. "We have much to talk about... For one thing, the appearance of strange pools of light over the largest forest in Makai..."  
  
"Pools of light?" Kurama asked, taking Chitsuko by the hand and leading her back into the temple behind Koenma.  
  
"Red and blue pools of light that appear to be portals of some sort. Where they came from or where they lead to we have no way of knowing. But what we do know is that it took a tremendous power to create them. What power that is, we don't know either..."  
  
"A bunch of dead ends..." Karasu said softly.  
  
"Dead ends that don't seem to match," Hiei added. He motioned to Chitsuko and Kurama. "Spirits haunting you, strange portals over Makai... None of this adds up. So many cases at once..."  
  
"So many questions left unanswered..." Mayaka murmured.  
  
"Koenma," Chitsuko said suddenly. "In my dream... Sanshi told me that I have one last living relative, someone with my father's bloody. Do you...maybe...know who they are?" she asked hopefully.  
  
The Reikai ruler nodded. "I figured you would ask that. Actually, we have been able to find that out for you. It was quite simple really...."  
  
At once the hanyou exploded with questions. "Can I meet them?! Where do they live?! What's their name?!"  
  
Koenma chuckled lightly. "Yes you can meet them. She lives here in Ningenkai and she is a full-blooded human. As for her name..." he glanced around the room, "you're actually with her right now."  
  
Immediately following his words, everyone was looking around the room, eyeing each other and wondering to themselves just who it was.  
  
"Are...are you serious?" Chitsuko asked softly.  
  
"Yes," Koenma answered. "Genkai? Would you like to verify this for me?"  
  
All eyes were on the old woman.  
  
"Ge...Genkai-san?" The girl's blue-gray eyes widened until they felt as though they were burst from their sockets. "You...?"  
  
"BA-SAN?!" Yusuke and Kuwabara yelped, nearly breaking the eardrums of everyone in the room.  
  
"Genkai..." Kurama said thoughtfully. "Whoever would've guessed?"  
  
"Chitsuko...or rather, Hanyou Kohana... Genkai is your great-great- great-great-etcetera second grand cousin.. Or something of the sort. Her great-great-great-etcetera grandfather was Nobuyuki Tomoe, the brother of Jekku Tomoe, your father."  
  
The old woman smiled. "So you've managed to track her down, huh Koenma? I remember you telling me I had one last living relative a few years back, but..." She laughed. "And I thought I looked good for MY age..."  
  
Koenma cleared his throat. "Not only does this alert you to someone who you have direct blood relation to, but it also provides part of the explanation for the source of your power. You see, both you and Genkai possess an untold amount of powerful spirit energy and retain strong auras. You are alike in that aspect."  
  
Chitsuko smiled weakly. "I really don't know what to say... Genkai- san?"  
  
"We can save the mushy sentiments for later," Genkai said quickly, flashing a quick smile in the hanyou's direction. "But I must reiterate: we have a long night ahead of us..." 


	10. Chapter 9 Starlight Assault

For the love of Inari, do I get into this story. ^^  
  
This is my first attempt at "spicing things up," so BE GENTLE, okay? ^^;;;  
  
Ai,  
  
~Lexi-chan~  
  
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Chapter 9: Starlight Assault  
  
By the time the moon had reached its apex in the sky, everyone save for Chitsuko had drifted off to sleep. Sitting alone in the middle of the room on her futon, she gazed at her companions slumbering peacefully around her. Leaning over to Kurama, she trailed her fingertips lovingly down his cheek. The redhead stirred for a moment, letting out a soft sigh, then became still again, his unseeing face turned towards her.  
  
"So much for a vigil..." the girl murmured as she carefully got to her feet and crept around the sleeping figures to the temple doors. Koenma, still in his teenage form, leaning up against one closed door, snoring quietly. So as not to wake up, she swiftly opened the second door, sliding out into the night with disturbing anyone in the room.  
  
Outside it was cold and calm. The sky was clear, giving the stars and brilliant moon room to shine. A gentle wind blew through the temple grounds, and she clutched at her too-large robe with a shiver. It was one of Shizuru's, hence, being smaller that Kuwabara's older sister, the garment slid down her shoulders and had to be held up manually while she was moving. Leaving her sandals in the room behind her, she set out along the network of wooden porches and walkways towards the kitchen.  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
Chitsuko halted as Hiei appeared on the porch in front of her, his hands shoved into the pockets of his black pants. He scrutinized her with his ruby red eyes, and beneath his white headband his Jagan flashed briefly.  
  
"I'm just getting a glass of water. I can't sleep."  
  
"You're worried."  
  
"Hn," the girl chuckled in the same fashion as the Jaganshi. "I've got a lot on my mind..."  
  
"We all do, don't we?" he answered somewhat ambiguously as he made his way to the porch railing. His gaze traveled out over the temple grounds and into the sky, where they settled on the moon high above. "We all have secret anxieties..."  
  
The hanyou nodded in agreement, and moved to stand beside the small fire demon. "I've been anxious all my life. First I lose my mother, then I discover I'm the reincarnation of a half-demon, then I lose my father, and now..." Her voice grew soft and trailed off, and soon they were standing in silence, permeated only by the whisper of the wind.  
  
"I have my share to worry about," Hiei said suddenly. "I'm not completely anxiety-free, as you would expect."  
  
"Oh?" She turned to look at him.  
  
"You worry about the ones you care about. You worry that Kurama doesn't love you the same way you love him."  
  
The hanyou bit her lip. "Am I that obvious?"  
  
He glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes. "He told me about the shower incident this morning."  
  
"I...see..." A blush of embarrassment rising in her face, she turned to look back at the sky. "Well, then, what do YOU worry about, Hiei?"  
  
His eyes dropped to the ground and he murmured. "The ones I care about."  
  
She smiled softly. "We all worry about the ones we loved, Hiei. I'm worry about...yes, Kurama... Keiko worries about Yusuke... Yukina worries about her brother..."  
  
The youkai's head snapped up to look her in the face. His eyes were wide and bright, and his mouth was open slightly. "Yu...Yukina told you...?"  
  
Confused at his suddenly shocked behavior, Chitsuko nodded. "Yes, she told me how she can't find her brother. She doesn't know who he is, and..."  
  
"I know the story," he said, cutting her off quickly. "We all know the story..."  
  
The girl sighed, watching him as he looked back towards the dark, star-strewn sky. "You know... You two have the same eyes..."  
  
Those ruby red orbs widened again and slid to the ground. "Don't say a word," he barely breathed.  
  
"Don't say a... What?" She shook her head in bewilderment, then asked, "What do you mean, 'don't say a...'" And then it dawned on her, and her own stormy hues widened in shock. "No... You can't mean.. You're her brother?!"  
  
Without looking at her, the Jaganshi repeated firmly, "Don't say a word."  
  
"Oh, but Hiei, why don't you tell her!"  
  
"Because it's better off this way." There was a hint of regret in his voice. "She doesn't need to know that her only brother is a thief and a murderer. She needs to be happy...." He finally turned his eyes back to Chitsuko. "And she's happy this way."  
  
"But Hiei..."  
  
"No." He walked past her, back towards the temple doors, then turned around to point one calloused, accusing finger at her. "You talk, you die."  
  
"You try to kill me, you get your ass kicked," was the serious reply.  
  
A small smirk curled the fire youkai's lips. "Don't stay out here too long. You'll freeze to death." And with that he made his way back into the temple as swiftly as he had left it.  
  
"Oh Hiei..." Chitsuko chuckled quietly as she walked quietly down the wooden porch to the steps that lead to the courtyard. With each step the chill of the surrounding night seemed to sharpen, and the wind picked up slightly. She shivered and hugged her robe to her tighter, ignoring the fact that her bare shoulders and shins were taking the brunt of the cold.  
  
Again she sighed as she made her way into the middle of the courtyard, her eyes eagerly taking in the starlight and reflecting it back into the sky. The world was so peaceful, so blissfully unaware of the pain and suffering she was going through. But for the sake of her friends, she would endure it...  
  
...She would endure it...  
  
"Chitsuko?"  
  
The girl whirled around to meet the emerald gaze of Kurama.  
  
As he began to descend the stairs towards her, a thousand thoughts exploded in her mind. She loved him, she wanted him.. She needed him... But the fact that she hadn't been his first love still bothered her, nagging at her from a deep, dark corner of her mind. Could he really love her if he had pledged himself to another before her? Did he feel the same way as she did? It wasn't unusual for people to have more than one significant other throughout their lifetime... But then why did it bother Chitsuko so much that this was true for Kurama?  
  
"Chitsuko?" the boy repeated, taking slow, cautious steps towards her. "Are you alright?"  
  
"Yes," she replied softly. "I'm alright... I just can't sleep..."  
  
"That's no problem, considering we were supposed to stay away watching you." He smiled. "I guess all this anxiety is wearing us out."  
  
"Yeah... Anxiety..."  
  
The hanyou stared at the youko for a long moment. He was wearing a temple outfit, loose white pants with a white shirt wrapped around his torso, open down to his waist and revealing much of his toned chest. She eyed him almost hungrily for a moment, her eyes shining with want, then quickly came to her senses and turned away, shaking her head.  
  
"No.. No no no..."  
  
Kurama opened his mouth to speak again, but found his voice was gone. He gazed at her, his emerald eyes taking in every detail of her form; how her long golden hair fell in soft waves over her shoulders and down her back, how her robe clung to her beautiful slender figure and hung seductively off her shoulders, how her bright, stormy blue-gray eyes sparkling under the starlight, brimming with unshed tears....  
  
"Chitsuko, what's wrong?" He moved forward and placed his hands firmly yet affectionately on her shoulders. Just the touch of his bare skin against her sent a shiver down his spine, and he moved one hand to tilt her chin up so her eyes met his. "Why are you crying?"  
  
It was then, looking up into her love's eyes, that Chitsuko made her decision. She took a step backwards, away from him, and cast her gaze to the ground. "It's too strong for me to deny it any longer..."  
  
The redhead's body tensed. "What?" His voice was barely a whisper, and he swallowed hard only to find that his mouth had run dry.  
  
They both knew what was coming.  
  
"Just being close to you makes my insides twist themselves into a knot... My mind abandons all logic, all thought, all care.. I find myself thinking things I never thought I would, saying things I never thought I'd say..." Her bright eyes flicked upwards to find his again. "Like now..."  
  
The boy soaked up her words, his mind reeling and his heart pounding. "What..." He took another step towards her. "What are you trying to tell me...?"  
  
There was something in the air now. Around them, an intense feeling of want had combined with the cold to create an almost unbearable atmosphere. Unbearable, at least, while the two of them were still alone...  
  
"Kurama..." The tears began to fall as she murmured his name. "The more I stay with you, the harder I fall... The more it hurts, the hotter the tears.. But I can't fight what I truly feel anymore... Not while we almost had it... Not while we had a beginning!" She came forward, moving as close to him as she could.  
  
The youko knew this wasn't the time and place for it, but he had already abandoned all sense of reality and time as Chitsuko wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered softly into his ear.  
  
"Not while we still have a chance..."  
  
The attraction and tension was too much. Kurama pulled her as tightly against him as he could and pressed his lips to hers. Chitsuko held him just as fiercely, her mind blanking, letting her heart and body take over the situation. Something inside of her clicked, something that felt familiar, and a soft moan rose inside of her. She pressed herself against the youko, running her fingers lovingly through his long, blood red tresses.  
  
Kurama, too, felt a sensation inside his body that seemed almost alien to him, something he had not felt in a long time... His pounding heart too over, and before he realized what he was doing he was coaxing Chitsuko mouth open with his tongue. The girl did not yield, and her lips parted for him to take entry. The kiss deepened, sending both foxes into a dizzying spell of desire and love. Kurama held Chitsuko tighter, Chitsuko pressed harder against him, and their kiss became almost desperate. The feeling inside of him grew, and with a painful shock he realized exactly what it was...  
  
Quickly he let go of her and backed up. The two of them were panting and flushed, despite the deathly cold that had now descended on them.  
  
"Kurama...?" But it was too late. Chitsuko looked absolutely hurt, her tears pouring freely down her face. The exchange that just took place was not what she had planned, not what she had expected. She had wanted to tell him, but now that she had seen what he really wanted...  
  
The youko guessed her thoughts. "Chitsuko, listen... It's not what you think, I..." There were no words to explain what he felt, what he wanted to say to her. No words to apologize, no words to compensate for his behavior. He had wanted her to badly, wanted to show her just how much she mean to him... "Chitsuko, I..."  
  
Suddenly the girl screamed. The cold around them grew almost unbearable, and two of them shivered violently. A shadow appeared at Chitsuko back, and one ghostly hand twisted her arms behind her back while another clamped over her mouth. The dark shadow began to fade into view, and a figure began to form; long, braided white hair in a high ponytail, dark, depthless black eyes...  
  
"Yes, Kurama, go ahead and tell her what you've been meaning to say for years now..." The demonic figure grinned, his voice sharp and cold as the night around them. "Tell her you love her..."  
  
"MMMMMMMPH!" Chitsuko cried from underneath the demon's hand. He took his hand away, and she screamed, "SANSHI!"  
  
"Leave her alone!" Kurama cried, pulling his rose from his hair. It instantly manifest itself into his whip, and he leapt forward towards Sanshi and Chitsuko, lashing out at the muscular demon without mercy.  
  
It happened so fast Kurama didn't notice what was happening until it was too late. Sanshi darted to one side, pulling Chitsuko with him, and held her in front of him as the youko brought his whip down. There was a loud wail of pain from the girl as the Rose Whip struck her, its thorns ripping her robe and tearing at her skin.  
  
"Chitsuko!" She fell to her knees with a groan just as Kurama dropped his weapon. Sanshi watched, laughing heartily at the anguish of his victims. "CHITSUKO!" The boy cradled her in his arms, brushing her golden hair off her face. "Chitsuko... I'm sorry..."  
  
"She forgives you... She loves you..."  
  
The voice that issued from her mouth made both men freeze, their attention turning to the girl sprawled in Kurama's arms.  
  
"Mi..." Kurama's voice was barely audible. "Misao...?"  
  
Chitsuko's eyes opened. They were no long blue; her irises were a dark, steely gray.  
  
"Misao!" Sanshi took a step back, shaking his head in bewilderment. "What... But....how...?"  
  
The possessed girl turned her gaze up at Kurama's face and spoke with her mother's voice once more. "She loves you."  
  
Sanshi laughed again. "You call going into heat love?" he sneered. "You always were a selfish, narcissistic brat, Youko Kurama..."  
  
"No! You're wrong!" Kurama yelled angrily, turning dangerously glittering eyes on Sanshi. "My biological makeup has nothing to do with this! I love her, and I love her with all my heart and soul! ...AND YOU'RE NOT TAKING HER AWAY FROM ME!"  
  
It was his scream that brought everyone running outside. And it was Kuronue's yell that alerted them all to the potential danger the two foxes were in.  
  
"SANSHI!"  
  
The youkai grinned and spread his arms out. At once a torrent of shadows images shot in all directions, surrounding the two foxes and their companions as they ran outside into the courtyard. The girls fiercely tried to bat them away as they swooped down at them, and some of them along with the boys tried to fight back with what they had.  
  
"SPIRIT GUN!"  
  
"SPIRIT SWORD!"  
  
"SPIRIT ARROW!"  
  
There was an explosion, followed by the clang of the chimera's scythe hitting the Jaganshi's sword. But still the shadows persisted, beating down on them without mercy.  
  
"You bastard..." Chitsuko, still possessed with Misao's spirit, got to her feet and addressed Sanshi, the girl's physical wounds not seeming to bother her. "You've ripped your way out of the past and into the present, you've threatened my daughter and her protector, and it's because of you my spirit can get no rest and my love's spirit is no more!"  
  
"Ripped his way out of that... OH CRAP! THAT'S IT!" Koenma shouted in the midst of the wheeling shadows, calling the group's attention to him.  
  
"What's it?" Botan asked, swatting at a shadow with her oar.  
  
"The pools of light! The portals! They're TIME RIPS!" The Reikai ruler hit himself rather roughly in the side of the head. "How could I have been so BLIND..."  
  
"So you're saying," Yukina asked, pointing to the laughing Sanshi, "that evil man is from the past?"  
  
"Precisely!" yelled Genkai, ducking as another shadow swooped down at her. "My guess is he's come here for Chitsuko and Kurama.. Or Hanyou Kohana and Youko Kurama, rather..."  
  
"He did," Kuronue said, his eyes locked on the maniacal demon. "He did... I remember his face... There's no way he could've lived this long... There's no WAY..."  
  
"You leave my daughter alone!" Misao shouted through Chitsuko's lips, then ran at Sanshi. "She has done nothing to you!"  
  
The girl leapt on him with a growl, sinking her teeth into his shoulder. Sanshi screamed, and blood spurted from his shoulder where he had been bitten. In one fluid motion he plucked the girl off him and hurled her back at Kurama. Chitsuko slammed into him and both fell to the ground just as the shadows above the others began to dissipate.  
  
"Just you wait, Misao..." the youkai growled. He too was beginning to fade back into shadow, and the wind whirled around them as though they were caught in the center of a tornado. "I will get them... And they will die..." Before his vanished completely, his dark eyes fixed on the group several yards away. "YOU WILL ALL DIE!"  
  
Without those last words he disappeared, and the wind roared for one long, final moment before dwindling back to the dull breeze it had been before. At once everyone was by Chitsuko and Kurama's side. Karasu took the girl from the youko's arms and shook her gently.  
  
"Chitsuko-chan... Chitsuko-chan, can you hear me?!"  
  
There was no response. The girl's head lolled backwards, and a trickle of blood ran from her mouth.  
  
"Get her to Reikai," Genkai said sternly as she turned to Koenma. "She'll be safer there." As Koenma ran forward to take the unconscious hanyou into his arms, she added softly, "I wouldn't want anything to happen to my remaining family..."  
  
"Chitsuko!" Kurama cried as Botan disappeared into the temple and reappeared again with her oar.  
  
"Kurama, she'll be safer in Reikai," Koenma said, turning serious eyes on the youko. "It's clear she's is no mental or emotional state to fight this Sanshi. We'll protect her."  
  
Botan perched herself on her oar and kicked off the ground. She hovered in midair, waiting as Koenma boarded behind her, Chitsuko still cradled in his arms.  
  
"Koenma..." Kurama said softly, pleadingly.  
  
"You know as well as I do, Kurama, that she's better off in Reikai under our watch." He cast one last sharp glance at the youko before turning to the ferrygirl and ordering, "Let's go, Botan."  
  
Botan nodded and waved a good-bye to everyone as her oar rocketed upwards, disappearing into the dark, starry sky without a trace.  
  
"Chitsuko..." Kurama murmured, closing his eyes tightly with a moan and clenching his hands into fists.  
  
"Hey, Kurama..." Yusuke put a hand on the boy's shoulder. "You gonna be alright?"  
  
The boy turned to look at the Tantei. His bright green eyes were glazed over, and one lone tear slid down his pale cheek.  
  
"Whoa..." Yusuke backed up. Everyone remained in complete silence; no one had ever seen the youko this much pain... No one had ever seen him cry, save for the one time Yusuke saw him shed a tear when his mother recovered from her illness.  
  
"Kurama..." Hiei said quietly, staring his friend in the face.  
  
Pain twisted the redhead's expression and he turned back to sky once more. "Chitsuko..." 


	11. Chapter 10 Storm of Shadows

I'm so sorry for the wait everyone! But then again, that's what midterms will do to you. Kill your writing drive and make you tired as all hell... .  
  
Another poem from Lobo-chaaan!!!! ^^  
  
"Misao, the mate of Kuronue,  
  
Was powerful and feared.  
  
Many people fled their homes  
  
when her, Kuro and Youko appeared.  
  
She fell in love with a human one day,  
  
And had hanyou kit they named Kohana,  
  
The Kit was strong, as were her mom  
  
But that's not for who this ballad is being sung.  
  
One day, after Kuronue and Jekku disappeared  
  
Misao and Kurama were caught  
  
But the two kitsunes didn't want to be  
  
So for their freedom, they bravely fought.  
  
Misao ended up injured  
  
And they for their dear lives  
  
When the demon hunters saw this,  
  
They all gave high fives.  
  
Misao collapsed but Youko took her  
  
To see Kohana  
  
She said good by and let  
  
The demon hunters take her.  
  
Now this sounds cheery, yes I know  
  
And I'm sorry Lexi-chan  
  
But what do you expect when you sing it to  
  
Frosty the Snowman!"  
  
That is SO going on the Kokitsune OST once me and Kia-chan get the Densetsu no Kagami/Kokitsune website up. ^^ You're AWESOME! ::glomps Lobo-chan::  
  
And one from Kia-chan! (Kaeru Soyokaze):  
  
"Chitsuko may be a female,  
  
You might think she was made out of glass  
  
But hurt or endanger her friends  
  
And she'll go and kick your punk ass!"  
  
Waiiiiiii!!! Ai shiteruuuuu!!! ::glomp:: ^^  
  
Anyway, when last we left off, crap happened.  
  
Enjoy!  
  
~Lexi-chan~  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Chapter 10: Storm of Shadows  
  
"I'm bored," Rinku whined, leaning against one of the porch support rails and peaking out through the bars from his spot on the stairs.  
  
"Fer once, I can agree with ya, tyke," Chuu yawned lazily, sprawling himself at the foot of the stairs. He took a long swig from the bottle of sake in his hand and breathed out a sigh. "Ain't had much fun since the girl left..."  
  
The two youkai gazed out over the Makai forest before them. The trees were barren, devoid of their usual green foliage, a sure sign that fall had settled with all intentions of preceding a harsh winter. The younger demon scratched at the back of his head with small fingers and tilted his head back to observe the cloudy sky.  
  
He did not notice the small, dark shadow as it slunk across the lawn, hiding close to the ground near the foundation of the house. It pressed itself to the dying grass as it slid closer to the two lounging youkai, waiting for an opportunity for itself...  
  
It came quickly. Rinku closed his eyes, stretching his arms above his head as his mouth opened wide in a yawn. The shadow seized its chance, flying from its hiding place beneath the support rails and down the boy's throat without so much as a whisper of moving air.  
  
The little youkai's eyes shot open and he gagged, making a fist and hitting himself hard in the chest several times. Chuu spun around, and seeing the boy's distress immediately dropped his bottle and grabbed the boy by the shoulders.  
  
"Eh? Y'alright, lit'le one?" he said, shaking the child. "Eh? Rinku?!"  
  
Rinku coughed, and as he inhaled air flowed easily into his lungs once again. "Yeah," he said through one last cough. "I'm alright... Musta swallowed some dust or something..."  
  
From the opposite direction, another shadow slyly made its way up the side of the staircase and shot straight for the older youkai's stomach, penetrating his skin without making so much as a scratch. Chuu let out a yelp and clutched as his stomach for a brief moment, squeezing one eye shut at the slight feeling of discomfort in this stomach.  
  
Rinku blinked rapidly, staring quizzically at the demon. "YOU alright?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah, jes' fine... Stomach just a lit'le unquiet after all tha' liqua.." he waved it off, retrieving his bottle and straightening up. His gaze flicked towards the door, just as two dark, transparent shadows slipped through the crack in the front door. The youkai's eyes widened, and then he rubbed them fiercely before looking back at the door. "Well if that wasn't odd..."  
  
"Hm?" Rinku turned to look back at the front door. He still felt a faint tickling sensation in his body from his coughing fit, and a feeling of anxiety, both physical and mental, overcame him. "What's odd?"  
  
"Rinku..." Chuu said slowly, his eyes still fixed on the door. "D'you know where Suzuki an' Shishi are at righ' now?"  
  
"Yeah," the boy replied, standing up on the step. "Suzuki's down in his workshop, and Shishi's cooking lunch... Why?"  
  
"Nothin'..."  
  
"Well alright..." Rinku climbed onto the next step, then stopped. His vision swam before him and he had to settle himself against the support rails to regain his balance. He let his eyes slide halfway shut as his chest began to tighten slightly. "I don't feel so good..."  
  
Chuu ascended the stairs and scooped the boy into his arms, holding him in front of him, scrutinizing him with narrowed eyes. "You don't LOOK so good neither..."  
  
Rinku let out a low moan just as a yell came from within the house, following by a loud clattering of metal on polished wood.  
  
"Shishi..." Chuu said, quickly tucking the boy under his arm and running into the house. "Shishi y'alright?"  
  
"Yes..." the samurai said as the two youkai entered the kitchen. He was clutching at his chest, rubbing a spot just below his collarbone. "I just saw a weird shadow out of the corner of my eye, but when I went to look at it my chest just.. ungh..."  
  
"A shadow, eh?" Chuu looked down at Rinku, who was now rubbing his eyes and growing paler by the second. "Somethin' ain't right here..." he said softly. "Somethin' jest ain't right..."  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Oi! Touya!"  
  
"Hm?" The Ice Master was pulled from his thoughtful trance and his eyes swiveled upwards to meet Jin's. The Wind Master looked almost worried, and he was massaging his temples with two fingers. "Something wrong, Jin?"  
  
"Wrong? I don't think wrong describes the half of it..." His wide, bright blue eyes glanced at the Shinobi encampment around them, members of the tribe darting two and fro between the tents and small fires that had built in the snow. "Somethin' doesn't feel right... You know that feelin'?  
  
"I do." Touya got to his feet, his gaze shifting to the gray sky. "Have you seen the shadows? They lie thickly around this camp." He closed his icy eyes, his face still upturned to the cold winter wind. "Ruka wouldn't wake up this morning... She was mumbling about darkness and a shadow chasing her in her sleep. That was this morning..." He opened his eyes and glanced at the Wind Master of their corners. "It's almost sunset. She still hasn't woken up."  
  
"Is she gonna be alrigh'?" Jin asked, still rubbing his temples.  
  
"I don't know..." He turned to face Jin completely. "Is something wrong with your head?"  
  
"Yeah... Hurts like hell, it does..." Jin's voice dropped as he said quietly, "An' Ruka an' you ain't the only ones seein' shadows..."  
  
"...Do say more."  
  
"Well, I don't mean ta sound creepy or nothin', but I had a dream last night too. There was a huge shadow, and of all people Chit-chan was standin' in front of it. Then the shadow looked past her, saw me, an' darted forward and slammed right inta me..." He sighed. "Ever since I woke up I've had this dreadful headache..."  
  
Touya moved his hand to rest his palm against his chest. "I feel a weight on my head. Almost like a shadow..." He winced slightly and his eyes narrowed as the ache intensified. "Something is going on Jin... What it is, I don't know... But I feel we are powerless against it..."  
  
* * * * *  
  
When Chitsuko woke up, all she saw was darkness. Quickly she sat bolt upright, her hands moving to brace herself by her sides. To her utter surprise, her fingers sunk into soft material and the surface beneath her caused her to bounce slightly. It took her a moment to realize that she was on a bed, covered up to her chest with soft red sheets and surrounded by an assortment of fluffy red pillows.  
  
Finally gaining complete mastery of her senses, she ran her fingers through her long golden hair as she flung the covers off and swung her legs over the edge of the high four-poster bed. The room around her was barren, save for two dressers, a commode, and a vanity. Another door in the far corner opened up to reveal a marble bathroom the same color as the bed.  
  
"Something tells me I'm not in Ningenkai anymore..." she muttered to herself as she darted off the bed and over to the door in the opposite wall. A bright line was shining under it, and the sound of distance voices seeped through the crack and reached her ears. Gently she slid the door open and found herself in a hallway brightly lit with fluorescent lights and a white tiled floor.  
  
"Reikai..." she sighed. "I should have known..."  
  
Carelessly leaving the bedroom door open, she set off down the long hallway. Her footsteps echoed in the empty corridor as she slowly made her way past the rows of doors. She hugged herself against a sudden chill and her gaze drifted to her shadow dancing at her feet. She smiled sadly and raised her hand in a gentle greeting as the dark shape beneath her waved at her from the floor.  
  
Suddenly she stopped, her eyes wide. Her shadow was waving at her...?  
  
Quickly she jumped backwards just in time to avoid the two shadowy arms that reached off the white tiles to grab at her legs. They missed, and she stumbled towards one of the walls, leaning on it to regain her balance. "Wha... What?" she asked aloud, startled and confused as she watched the dark figure, a blank, black copy of herself, rise from the floor to stand in front of her.  
  
A moment later she was bolting down the hallway, her white robe flying around her legs as she ran frantically from her shadow. The dark figure was running just as fast as she was, trying to catch up with her, its arms outstretched to grab her. Looking back, the hanyou gave a little squeal of fright and kept running, turning a corner and colliding with a small, red-haired girl in white and red dojo robes.  
  
"Chitsuko-san?"  
  
"Hinageshi! RUN!"  
  
Grabbing the ferrygirl's hand, the kitsune jumped to her feet and continued her escape, dragging Hinageshi with her. The lights in the hallway began to flicker, dimming for a long moment, then quickly returning to the full intensity of their brightness. Chitsuko glanced over her shoulder one last time, and caught a fleeting glimpse of her shadow as it began to change it form, the figure growing taller and its limbs lengthening and becoming more muscular...  
  
"Sanshi!" she breathed, and Hinageshi gave a little cry at the name. The two of them quickened their pace, now racing down the hallway at breakneck speed.  
  
But they weren't fast enough. The shadow flung itself at Hinageshi and took her down, sprawling her on the floor and covering her entire body with its darkness. Chitsuko fell as well, frantically clawing at the shadow it an attempt to pull it off her friend. But it was in vain; the shadow seemed to shrink and seeped through the girl's skin, sinking into her chest cavity and causing her to scream again in pain.  
  
"Hinageshi!" Chitsuko cried, pulling her now coughing friend into a sitting position. "HINAGESHI!"  
  
The lighting returned to normal as three figures raced down the hallway. Botan was the first to reach their side, wrapping her arms around the smaller ferrygirl and shaking her, moaning her name over and over. The next was Koenma in his toddler form. The child ruler stopped at Hinageshi's feet, sucking nervously on his pacifier.  
  
"We figured this much would happen..." he muttered. "A direct attack in the most sacred building in Reikai..."  
  
"I... I'm sorry..." Tears sprang into Chitsuko's eyes and she covered her face with her hands. "I'm sorry I brought this on all of you..."  
  
"It's alright, Chit-chan..." A pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around Chitsuko and a silky voice slid into her ears. "It's not your fault..."  
  
"Karasu-kun..." the girl groaned, looking up into his twinkling amethyst eyes. "I hate this..."  
  
"I know... But don't blame yourself... Now, tell us what happened..."  
  
"The.. The shadow entered her body..."  
  
"WHAT?!" Botan screeched, shaking Hinageshi harder. "Hinageshi.... HINAGESHI!"  
  
There was no response from the younger ferrygirl. Her had lapsed against her chest and her eyes remained closed, her breathing shallow and rapid; she was unconscious.  
  
"Get her to one of the infirmaries," Koenma said. Then he turned to Chitsuko. "The others are still in Ningenkai, at Genkai's temple. I brought you here to make sure you were alright and that no harm befell you out of our watch." He nodded towards the crow. "Karasu, as your protector, will be staying with you for as long as necessary. Now, go back to bed..."  
  
"But Koenma...!"  
  
"Chitsuko," the toddler said sternly. "I'm sorry.. But it has to be this way if any of us are going to emerge from this little ordeal alive..." And with that he walked off down the hallway, Botan following behind him with Hinageshi in his arms.  
  
Chitsuko watched him go from her safe haven in Karasu's arms, blinking her blue-gray eyes to rid them of the tears that had gathered there. "...'Little'?" she said in a choked whisper.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Hanyou Kohana..."  
  
"...What do you want from me?"  
  
Again Chitsuko stood in the same forest of her dreams, face-to-face with the dangerous youkai who threatened the life of her friends and herself. She glared at him with contempt, stormy blue-gray eyes bright with fury and anguish. As a answer to her barely-whispered question, Sanshi laughed loudly without cracking the slightest hint of a smile.  
  
"You already know what I want from you..."  
  
"...I hate you..." The hanyou fought back tears and her hands clenched into fists at her side. "I hate you, Sanshi..."  
  
"I assure you, Kohana-san, the feeling is mutual..."  
  
"I'm not going to let you win..."  
  
"You're not going to LET me, but I will in the end..."  
  
"There won't be an end..."  
  
"Oh, yes there will. It's all planned out. The future ends not too far from the past..."  
  
The riddle stopped the kitsune in her tracks. She flinched at the play on words and dropped her gaze to the grass. There was something in his words, an underlying meaning... But what was it?  
  
"I will keep this dream brief, Kohana-san..." the youkai said suddenly. "In your conscious world you have guests..."  
  
"Guests...?"  
  
The demon chuckled. "And it's not very pretty...  
  
In an instant his manifested being melted away from her inner sight, along with the rest of her dreamworld The darkness began to give way to light, and she found someone shaking her awake...  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Chitsuko-chan..."  
  
The girl moaned and rolled over onto her back, batting away the cool hand that shook her shoulder. She yawned gently and opened her eyes to meet another pair, a soft, icy blue without any sign of a dark pupil.  
  
"Touya...?"  
  
The Ice Master helped the girl sit up as she rubbed her eyes lazily. She blinked several times, gazing at her surroundings. She was now in a long rectangular room, the walls lined with small beds draped in white sheets. Between the beds sat small tables, pushed against the wall and covered in assorted items relevant to healing. There were about thirty beds in all, fifteen against each wall. Three beds at the far end of the room were filled. The one opposite Chitsuko's seemed to be occupied as well, and a familiar muscled figure with a head of shaggy golden hair sat beside it, his face in his hands.  
  
With a soft exclamation of bewilderment, Chitsuko slid out of bed, bracing herself for the shock to come. As she made her way across the center aisle, she bit her tongue to keep from crying out. The closer she got the bed, the more features of its occupant she could distinguish. Sea-green hair splayed out on the fluffy white pillow, pale, creamy skin, a small, slender frame...  
  
"K-Kaeru...?"  
  
At the mention of the young Koorime's name, the figure beside the bed looked up. The kitsune was met with the sorrowful purple gaze of Suzaku, his two long red tendrils of hair hanging carelessly in his face. He looked pallid and almost frightened as his gaze returned to the girl in the bed.  
  
"Hello Chitsuko..."  
  
"Suzaku..." The girl nodded a slight greeting and made her way around the other side of the bed, Touya behind her. "What's wrong with Kaeru...?"  
  
"The same thing that's wrong with Jin, Ruka, and Hinageshi..." Touya said solemnly, pointing to the full beds on the other side of the room.  
  
"Hinageshi! Jin? Ruka?!" With each name the girl's voice grew more frantic, and she broke away from the Ice Master's side and bolted the length of the room. At the far end, Botan sat beside Hinageshi's bed, tears streaming down her face. The two beds opposite the smaller ferrygirl's were occupied by the two stricken Shinobi, their faces pale and their breathing shallow.  
  
"Jin! Ruka!" Chitsuko made her way to the Kekkai Master's side first, pressing her hand to her pale forehead and feeling nothing but an icy cold.  
  
"She... hasn't responded in two days, lass..."  
  
"Jin, what's happened?" The hanyou perched herself on the Wind Master's bedside as he struggled to sit up. He finally settled on propping himself up on his elbows and gave the girl a weak smile.  
  
"I don't know... But we should be fine soon... once they figure out what's wrong with us..." Jin let out a loud cough and fell back onto the bed, gasping for air.  
  
"Jin! I've never seen you this... this vulnerable..."  
  
"'S not a side ya see of me very often..." He tried to smile again but only succeeded in making his sickly appearance looked even more sorrowful. "We'll have it all sorted out soon, though..."  
  
"When did this start?"  
  
"About two days ago... Me 'n Touya started feelin' it soon after Ruka got taken down... But he seems to be able to handle it a lot better than I can..."  
  
At the words "taken down" Chitsuko shivered. "Jin, don't talk like that..."  
  
"You shouldn't worry, Chitsuko..." Touya came up behind the girl, putting a hand on her shoulder comfortingly. "There's nothing you can do about it now. Besides, you have other things to worry about..."  
  
Suddenly the infirmary door flew open, swinging violently on its hinges and hitting the wall beside it with a loud bang. In ran Chuu, cradling a limp Rinku in his arms. Close behind him followed Shishi and Suzuki, the young samurai braced by the inventor.  
  
"I tell you, I don't need to lay in some sickhouse for a few weeks!" the blue-haired youkai exclaimed. A moment later he winced in pain and clutched at his chest.  
  
"Shishi," Suzuki scolded, "if it's the same illness that Rinku seems to have you may be in trouble..."  
  
"He is a boy. I am a man. I can handle a mere sickness..."  
  
"Shishiwakamaru..." Suzuki shook his head, then burst into a coughing fit of his own. "You will stay here... Reikai orders. We stay here until they figure out what this ailment is..."  
  
"You guys too?" Chitsuko blinked, watching as the four youkai were settled into beds near Jin and Ruka's.  
  
"Yup," Chuu said, flinching as another dart of pain pierced his heart. "Rinku was the first one ta catch it... then me... And from there, well..." His voice trailed off and he sighed, slipping back under the clean white sheets and letting his eyes slide shut. "Feels good ta rest, actually..."  
  
"What is going ON?!" The kitsune shouted as Karasu made his way into the room. "Karasu..." She ran to him, her eyes wide and shining with tears. "Why the hell is everyone so sick all of a sudden?"  
  
"We haven't figured that out yet..." the crow said, following by a long, tired sigh. "Reikai experts are analyzing the situation now. They think it may have some link to that shadow that attacked Hinageshi..."  
  
"A shadow..." Chitsuko hugged herself, turning to face the infirmary where now twelve of her friends lay stricken. Touya had now settled himself in a bed beside Jin, hugging his knees to his chest and staring down at the blank linen sheets. "Karasu..." the girl murmured through a sudden flood of tears.  
  
"...Chitsuko?" he answered, glancing at her out of the corner of his eyes and putting a comforting arm around her shoulders.  
  
"...Don't let the darkness take them... or me..." 


	12. Chapter 11 The Ominous Prophecy

I AM SO SORRY FOR ALL THE WAITING. . I've been in a funk lately and my writing has been suffering the most.. -.-;;;  
  
This chapter is dedicated to Kia-chan. After reading her latest chapters of Touketsu and Kikyoku, I became inspired like I haven't been in over a month. Arigatou, Kia-chan. ^^ The climax of Kokitsune: Rememory owes itself to you! =^^=  
  
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Chapter 11: The Ominous Prophecy  
  
"The future ends not too far from the past..."  
  
Sanshi's ominously prophetic words replayed in Chitsuko's mind as she opened one eye, her vision horribly out of focus as she strained to see through the darkness surrounding her bed. With a sigh she gave it and opened both eyes, blinking away the fog of dried tears that hovered at the edges of her sight. The kitsune sat up, letting the clean white sheets fall around her waist. As her eyes once more began the task of scanning the infirmary around her, she took a moment to comb her fingers through her tousled golden-brown hair and push it off her face.  
  
Nearly every bed had been filled. Suzaku now lay next to Kaeru, asleep on his side and facing the young Koorime's bed. Jin, Touya, and Ruka were asleep on the far side of the room; the female Shinobi still had not opened her eyes. Shishiwakamaru, Suzuki, and Chuu were bedded down not too far from them, and Rinku was curled up in the bed beside Chuu, the blankets bunched up around him like a soft cocoon. On Koenma's orders, Botan had return to Ningenkai to summon the Reiki Tantei to Reikai, leaving Hinageshi gasping and sleeping uneasily in the corner bed. Two days ago, the ferrygirl Ayame had taken ill. Now she was sleeping peacefully beside Hinageshi, her sleek dark hair plastered to her forehead by a cold sweat. Karasu seemed to have contracted the illness too and occupied the bed beside Chitsuko. And just the day before, Ruri, Kaeru's elder Koorime guardian, had been brought to rest beside the little Ice Maiden, she too being unable to wake up.  
  
"Horrible..." she murmured to herself as she got to her feet, swaying slightly. She hadn't used her legs in almost a week, not having the heart to drag herself out of bed and face the world while her friends fell around her, one by one. The weaker ones, mainly Hinageshi, Kaeru, and Ruka, hadn't been fully conscious since they were last in perfect health. The stronger youkai, mostly the males, were able to sit up, eat, and even talk, although most of the time none of them were in a talking mood. Karasu seemed to be the only sick one who still had the strength to get up and walk around.  
  
Chitsuko tiptoed to the infirmary door, careful not to wake anyone, and slipped out into the corridor. Darkness had gathered in the hallways, thick and deep. She walked fast, keeping her pace quick and her sense alert as she made her way to Koenma's office. Once she was there, she immediately rapped on the doors. "Koenma-sama?"  
  
The doors slid open to reveal a very pale and weak looking kneeling on his desk, paperwork strew all over its surface and the floor below. His pacifier had fallen from his mouth and rolled towards the doors. In front of him, the videoscreen was flickering, its shifting light falling on the trembling Reikai ruler.  
  
The hanyou stooped to pick up the pacifier, then proceeded slowly into his office. "Koenma-sama?" she asked again, studying his appearance carefully. "Are you alright? You look..."  
  
She swallowed her next words as a low groan came from the toddler's throat and he leaned dangerously towards the front of his desk. Chitsuko darted forward just in time to catch him as he toppled forward off the piece of furniture, his heavy-lidded eyes sliding shut and a trickle of saliva dribbling out of the corner of his mouth.  
  
The girl sat on the floor, cradling the son of King Enma in her arms. He was indeed pale and his now limp body was an indication of his unconscious state. "No..." the girl breathed, giving Koenma a gentle shake. "No, not you too..."  
  
The loud sound of crackling static pulled her eyes to the videoscreen. The same lush green Makai forest was depicted there, only now its canopy was covered with a large swirling vortex of blue and red lights. Every now and then a spark of blue exploded over the pool's surface, as though it were the floating mouth of a volcano ready to erupt.  
  
"Those pools of light connected into one big one..." She held the toddler closer to her. "Rips to the past..." She swallowed hard. "Sanshi is from the past... These shadows..." As the realization dawned on her, her words, spoken to no one in particular, became more and more frantic. "...They're from the past too! ...They belong to SANSHI!"  
  
At that moment Koenma's office doors opened to admit a frantic looking group of people: Yusuke, Kuwabara, Hiei, Kurama, Shizuru, Botan, Keiko, Mayaka, and Kuronue. The blue-haired ferrygirl came to an abrupt stop, panting heavily, while Kurama and Mayaka ran forward to kneel beside Chitsuko.  
  
"Is he alright?" the raven-haired girl asked, pressing her hand to the toddler's cheek.  
  
"I don't know..." the hanyou choked out, barely a whisper.  
  
"Koenma...-sama..." Botan panted, falling to her knees. "I'm...back..." With a sigh she fell over, and Yusuke ran to prop her up against one knee.  
  
"Chitsuko-chan, what's going on here?" the Tantei asked, soft brown eyes glancing in the hanyou's direction.  
  
Chitsuko lowered her head and answered in an almost inaudible whisper, "The future is ending...not too far from the past..."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Botan and Koenma were taken in to the infirmary and tucked snuggly into beds. While the boys went to view their youkai friends in their sickbeds, Shizuru, Keiko and Mayaka remained with Chitsuko in Koenma's office, the videoscreen still playing the haunting images of the activity above the forests of Makai.  
  
"Do you know what's making everyone so ill?" Shizuru asked, leaning against the desk as she gazed at the screen.  
  
"I think I do...but I'm afraid to say it..." the hanyou replied sadly.  
  
"Don't be. We need to know the truth!" Keiko said, reached out to take the shorter girl in her arms. "Don't be afraid to tell us. We've been through worse, we can handle this too..." Chitsuko nodded slightly as Keiko backed away from the embrace, keeping her hands firmly clamped on the girl's shoulders. "Now tell us..." she said, locking eyes with the kitsune. "What is happening?"  
  
The doors slid open and a panicked blue oni burst into the room. "KO... Oh, that's right..." He stop mid-yell when he saw the girl's standing there, the young toddler ruler nowhere in sight. "I almost forgot he's sick too..." Jorge scratched the back of his head nervously and presented a long, folded sheet of paper to Chitsuko. "Here, maybe you should read this... King Enma did say that you'd do well in Koenma-sama's place while he's ill..."  
  
"ME?!" Chitsuko choked, taking the paper from the oni. "But..but WHY?!"  
  
"King Enma thinks you are highly capable!" Jorge said, somewhat taken back. "That's a compliment of the highest caliber!"  
  
"I know, but..." The kitsune shook her head with a sigh and unfolded the paper. Black characters had been hastily scrawled on the creamy white page. Smoothing out the creases, her eyes scanned the page until a list of familiar names caught her attention.  
  
"Lord Yomi and Master Shura of the Northwest... Lady Mukuro of the Southwest..." Chitsuko looked up at the oni. "What is this?"  
  
"The, err, list of the newest sick..." he replied sheepishly.  
  
The girl didn't have the strength to retort or protest. Her eyes flicked back down to the paper, and she cleared her throat. "'To King Enma, Divine Ruler of the Realms and all their Peoples..." She glanced briefly around at the girls and Jorge before continuing. "A report from those who have been assigned with the task of guarding and watching the Realms. Here follows a list of the newly stricken with the disease unofficially titled the Shadow Sickness.' So they know..." she murmured to herself, letting her eyes glass over in thought and forgetting about the document for the moment.  
  
"They know what, Chitsuko-chan?" Mayaka inquired, peeking over her shoulder at the letter.  
  
"The sickness... They know it works..." She suddenly looked up at the oni again. "Jorge-san, would you mind running down to these people...whoever wrote this... and get me more details on this Shadow Sickness?"  
  
"I...I can try, Chitsuko-san..."  
  
"Thank you." She smiled weakly, and the oni took his leave and bolted from the office.  
  
"Keep reading," Shizuru instructed sternly.  
  
The hanyou obeyed, her gaze returning to the document. "'These people have been pinpointed to have contracted the disease whether they know it themselves or not. From the Makai, the Demon World: Lord Yomi and Master Shura of the Northwest, Lady Mukuro of the Southwest...the chimera Kuronue revived from death...Koorime Yukina of the island of Koorime'..." She swallowed hard. "'Jaganshi Hiei keeper of the Jagan Eye...'"  
  
Keiko's hands flew to her mouth, while Shizuru and Mayaka stood still, dumbstruck. "I don't understand..." Keiko moaned. "How could they have gotten sick without us noticing?"  
  
"Maybe the disease doesn't take effect right away..."  
  
"Is there any more?" Mayaka asked softly, even though in her heart she didn't want to know the answer.  
  
Chitsuko nodded weakly and continued. "'From Ningenkai, the Human World: Yusuke Urameshi the Spirit Detective...Kazuma Kuwabara of the Reiki Tantei... Shuichi Minamino the embodied spirit of Youko Kurama...Shizuru Kuwbara...Keiko Yukimura...Mayaka Kawaii...Genkai the Reiki Master...Atsuko Urameshi...Shiori Minamino..."  
  
Dead silence followed. Chitsuko lowered the paper, her stormy eyes glazed over and staring at the floor. "I'm not on this list..."  
  
Suddenly Keiko fell to her knees and burst into tears. Mayaka crouched beside her, her own eyes overflowing as she tried to comfort the poor girl. Shizuru turned away, closing her eyes and applying pressure to the bridge of her nose with two fingers to quell the ache rising in her head.  
  
"Why?" the kitsune asked quietly. She knew no one would answer.  
  
The door opened again and a somber Jorge trudged in, holding a thin black folder. "Chitsuko-san, I got the information you wanted..." He held the paper out to the girl, but she did not move. Casting a worried glance in her direction, his made his way past the girls sobbing on the floor and set the folder down on the desk. "Chitsuko-san, Lord Yomi, Master Shura and Lady Mukuro have just arrived in the infirmary. When they found out you were here, they requested your presence."  
  
"Tell them I will be with them shortly..." was the low, even reply.  
  
"I will..." Then Jorge, seeing he would only make things worse if he stood around, turning on his heel and walked quickly out of the officer.  
  
"The three of you better go lay down..." the kitsune ordered softly.  
  
"But Chitsuko," Shizuru started.  
  
"Go lay down." The tone of her voice was forceful, almost dangerous to the sound.  
  
"...Alright." After a long silence. Mayaka hauled Keiko, who was still whimpering, to her feet and motioned for Shizuru to follow her. The three of them made they way out of the office, and the raven-haired human stopped at the doors before they closed behind her. "You going to be okay?" she asked Chitsuko.  
  
The golden-haired girl looked up at her, her face set and devoid of all emotion. She was beyond crying now, beyond whimpering and moaning like a child. "Do you want the truth or a lie?"  
  
"Tell me the truth."  
  
The hanyou turned away, putting her back to her friend, her hands tightening into fists. "No. I'm not going to be okay, Mayaka-chan."  
  
"Just so long as you're honest... I'll see you in the infirmary..." The last word got caught in the girl's throat, and her voice cracked. She turned away from the office and the doors slid shut behind her, leaving Chitsuko alone in the office.  
  
The kitsune's eyes wandered to the desk, where the black folder lay amidst a flurry of loose papers. Tentatively she reached out, her fingers brushing against its smooth surface. The truth lay in those pages, a thousand words of painful truth that in her heart she could not take.  
  
But for the sake of her friends, she would take it.  
  
Resolve overcoming her, she snatched up the folder and flipped it open. The first page was the complete list of everyone who had contracted the disease. Chitsuko didn't have to read through the whole sheet to understand the pattern; everyone she loved and cared for was on that list, everyone that meant most to her, every single one of her friends...  
  
The next few pages were a detailed report of each case, when they were found to have the illness and where they were now. The very last pages were on the disease itself, and it was these pages that Chitsuko sat down behind the desk to read in full. Taking a deep breath, she braced herself and set her eyes to work.  
  
"'The Shadow Sickness as it has been unofficially named stems from actual shadows themselves. These strange shadows seem to possess a mind and intelligence of their own. They move like a natural body and function in a much similar way. These shadows will enter a person's body, and once inside begin to deteriorate them from the inside out."  
  
Deteriorate them from the inside out?! Chitsuko thought with alarm. What exactly did that mean?  
  
The doors to the office slid open. The hanyou did not look up as footsteps made their way across the room, stopping in front of the desk where she sat. She continued to stare down at the papers in her hands, ignoring the newcomer and praying that if she didn't notice them they would leave...  
  
"Shiori and Atsuko have just been brought in."  
  
Chitsuko looked up at the voice and was immediately pinned under a bright emerald gaze.  
  
"Being fully human, their bodies hardly put a fight. They have little resistance." Kurama's voice was low and steady as he sat himself on the edge of the desk. "They won't be waking up anytime soon..."  
  
"Are they alright?"  
  
"It's hard to say. The worst of them seems to be the little Koorime girl, Kaeru I think he name is... From what I hear she was first to catch it..."  
  
"...You have it too."  
  
"I know. I knew a long time ago. We all do."  
  
"Why didn't you tell me then?"  
  
"I didn't want to worry you."  
  
"You worry me enough already." Chitsuko dumped the papers onto the desk and stood up, a look of defiant in her eyes. "You could've told me!"  
  
The redhead opened his mouth to speak, then coughed, doubling over suddenly. With a startled gasp Chitsuko climbed onto the desk and knelt beside him, holding him as he continued to hack into his hands.  
  
"Kurama-kun?!" she asked, alarmed.  
  
"I'll be...fine..." The youko sat up, only to reveal the blood spattered all over his hands and pants. "Really..."  
  
"No..." At the sight of the blood, tears came into the girl's eyes. "No... All of you... You can't leave me here all alone! Why not me? Why haven't I been infected by these shadows? WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME SANSHI?!" she screamed, clinging to Kurama for dear life.  
  
"Chitsuko-chan, all we can do is get to Sanshi and destroy him before this disease progresses..."  
  
"But HOW?!" The hanyou turned her bright blue-gray eyes on him, tears beginning to trickle from the corners of her eyes. "We don't know where he is!"  
  
"Yes we do... YOU do..." Turning, Kurama looked at the still-running videoscreen. "You know as well as I where those portals lead, and what can be found beyond them..."  
  
"Are you saying..."  
  
"The Reiki Tantei is still on its feet. If we hurry, we can make a time jump back to the past and clean up this mess before it gets any worse." He turned a gentle smile to Chitsuko. "It's nothing we can't resolve."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Positive." He leaned over and planted a soft kiss on her forehead. "I have placed all of my faith in you before. I don't doubt with you by our side we can rid ourselves of this demented youkai once and for all..."  
  
Chitsuko could only nod as she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "You lived in Sanshi's time, Kurama. You know more about him, don't you?"  
  
The youko sighed. "Sadly I do not remember much. It's as if a part of me doesn't want to remember..." He turned his face away from her and stood up. "You are wanted in the infirmary." Extending a hand, he pulled Chitsuko to her feet. "Shall we?"  
  
"Yes," she replied sadly, forcing herself to smile.  
  
He responded with a gentle smile of his own. "That's my Kokitsune." He pulled her into a brief embrace before leading her out of the office, the doors sliding shut with a metallic thud behind them. The videoscreen continued to play, images of the bright portals swirling ominously above Makai's forest, as the black folded slid off the desk and onto the floor, papers scattering everyone in the silent, empty office.  
  
And the shadows in the corners pulsed with newfound menace, fresh with new energy and motive from their master. 


	13. Chapter 12 Chitsuko's Decision

Sorry for the lack of updating everybody! But SOMEONE reported Hellehobbits... why, I have NO idea, there was NOTHING wrong with it....and I couldn't post for a week. T.T Ah well. I'm back now! =^^=  
  
Here be a poem by meh new friend Alyssa-chan!!!!! ^^  
  
"My rose-  
  
Calm, yet deadly  
  
Happy, yet sad  
  
Human, yet demon  
  
Saint, yet sinner  
  
Friend, yet traitor  
  
Stern, yet kind  
  
Rose, yet fox  
  
Lover, yet friend  
  
Real, yet imaginary  
  
You have a place in my heart  
  
You are real in my mind  
  
My fox  
  
My love  
  
My rose  
  
My Kurama"  
  
Buckle up, folks. It's going to be a bumpy ride.......  
  
Music: Over the End by Masami Okui  
  
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Chapter 12: Chitsuko's Decision  
  
"Kohana-san."  
  
Chitsuko and Kurama had barely gotten through the door of the infirmary when a familiar voice called the girl to attention. Leaving Kurama's side, she hurried to the edge of the closest bed, settling herself in the chair beside it. From under the covers, a pale and rasping Yomi smiled at her.  
  
"Yomi-san, how are you feeling?" she asked, placing the palm of her hand gently on his forehead. "You're burning up!"  
  
"That is what has been expected...." he replied wearily as he struggled to pull himself into a sitting position. The hanyou immediately sprang to her feet, swinging one arm around the demon's broad shoulders to help him. He smiled again in her direction. "Thank you."  
  
She nodded, although the blind youkai couldn't see it. "How long have you been sick?"  
  
"I am not sure. I appears as though this illness tailors itself to the one it inflicts. The higher your level of spirit energy, the stronger the illness becomes until it has just enough strength to overwhelm you... I've never seen anything like it..."  
  
"You haven't seen anything in the past several hundred years, you old goat." From two beds away Mukuro grumbled into her cup of tea, letting the warm fumes wash over her pallid features. The cloth had been removed from her face, leaving her scars and mangled flesh in plain sight. She turned a pretty smile on Chitsuko and said, "Long time no see, eh?"  
  
Yomi muttered something under his breath as Chitsuko made her way to the bed directly next to his. Yomi's son, Shura, lay completely still, his breathing shallow. With a sigh she leaned over to brush several damp strands of black hair off his sweat-slicked forehead. "Shura..." She whispered his name and a second later his eyes had fluttered open.  
  
"Chit-chan!" he exclaimed happily, propping himself up shakily on one elbow. "Are you okay?"  
  
The kitsune's face fell and she frowned deeply. "I wish everyone would stop asking ME that..." she said quietly.  
  
"But we're all worried about you!" the young demon retorted.  
  
Chitsuko's eye twitched. "Worried about ME?! Look at YOU!" she cried, motioning around the infirmary. "ALL of you! With all of you like THIS, of COURSE I'm not okay!"  
  
"Chitsuko-chan, please..."  
  
The girl turned, following the sound of Kurama's voice to the two beds opposite Yomi and Shura's. In one lay Atsuko Urameshi, Yusuke's mother. In the other, Shiori Minamino, Kurama's human mother and guardian. The redhead sat on the edge of the bed, one of the woman's pale, limp hands in his.  
  
Chitsuko's breath caught in her throat as she looked down at them. "Why..." she whispered, settling herself at the foot of Atsuko's bed. "Every single one of my friends is sick... Now what?"  
  
At that moment the infirmary doors flew open and Jorge ran in, carrying a limp figure in his arms. Behind him walked Genkai, one arm folded behind her back, the other pressed over her mouth to stifle a cough. Chitsuko couldn't make out the identity of the person in the ogre's arms as he ran by in search of an unoccupied bed.  
  
"The gang's all here..." Genkai remarked dryly as she shuffled after him, pausing for a moment in front of Chitsuko. "I should hope that you've been informed of what is going on..."  
  
"Yes," the kitsune replied, nodding weakly.  
  
To her surprise, the old woman smiled. "Then you know how to counteract it?"  
  
She did know. Turning away, she closed her eyes and replied quietly, "Destroy Sanshi."  
  
"Good girl." Genkai came forward until she was standing directly in front of the girl. "Look at me, Kohana."  
  
The sudden use of her demon name called her to attention, and the hanyou looked up into the old woman's faded brown eyes.  
  
"You understand what you must do. When the moment arrives, follow your gut instincts and your heart will take over from there. Understand?'  
  
"G-Genkai-san..."  
  
The woman chuckled. "Isn't this an odd situation? I'm reprimanding my own great-aunt and comforting her while I'm in danger of dying. ...Again."  
  
"'Again'?" Chitsuko asked, blinking several times to clear away the tears that had collected in her eyes.  
  
"I will explain it to you when this is all over..." Genkai replied, continuing her walk down the center aisle to find a bed. "And trust me, it will be over..."  
  
"YUKINA-SAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!"  
  
"Kuwabara-kun?!" Chitsuko sprang to her feet, as did Kurama, and the two of them sprinted across the infirmary to the other side. "Kuwabara-kun, what's..."  
  
She didn't have the heart to say anymore. Yukina lay in one of the beds, Kuwabara bent over her still form, tears streaming down his face to fall on her motionless form. Yusuke, Shizuru, Keiko, and Mayaka were grouped around the bed, their eyes glued to the young Koorime. "YUKINA- SAAAAAAAAAAAN!" the Tantei cried again, taking one of her pale hands in his and holding it against his cheek.  
  
"No..." Chitsuko pushed past Yusuke and Shizuru and fell onto the edge of the bed, her hand feeling for a pulse at the girl's wrist.  
  
Nothing.  
  
She tried again, this time holding her fingers against the side of the girl's neck.  
  
Nothing.  
  
"MOVE."  
  
A second later she was shoved roughly aside and Hiei was leaning over the fallen Koorime, his ear pressed against her chest. He slowly set one hand against her abdomen right above her diaphragm and waited for her chest to rise and fall.  
  
Nothing.  
  
"YUKINA-SAAAAAAAAAAN!" Kuwabara cried, then fell back as a thin line of blood opened up on his cheek. "GACK!"  
  
All eyes were turned to Hiei. The youkai's ruby red eyes were fixed on Kuwabara, and his sword was drawn. A few drops of blood slid down the blade and dripped down onto the white sheets.  
  
"Will you shut up, you blubbering idiot?" There was an undertone in Hiei's voice that no one had heard before. His words were broken and caught in his throat, falling off his tongue in choppy rasps. After a moment he lowered his sword and turned his eyes back to Yukina.  
  
Everyone was silent as the Jaganshi leaned down, cradling the Koorime in his arms, and murmured a single, soft word into her hair.  
  
"Sister..."  
  
Yusuke, Kurama, Shizuru and Chitsuko choked on their next breaths. Mayaka and Keiko stared at Hiei in bewilderment, and Kuwabara blinked idiotically at the scene before him.  
  
"Hiei, this is not the time to try and be all ghetto and cool, you know..." the Tantei kneeled on the edge of the bed and reached out a hand to lay it on his love's shoulder.  
  
The Jaganshi shot the boy a death glare. "I'm not, you idiot."  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"You should have told her Hiei, before it was too late..." Chitsuko put one arm around Hiei, and the other around Yukina. "Yukina-chan..." The tears that had welled up in her eyes now spilled freely down her cheeks.  
  
"Told her what?" Through his tears and unbearable sorrow, Kuwabara was still questioning the situation.  
  
Hiei couldn't take it anymore. He growled low in his throat, squeezing his eyes shut, trying to counteract the outburst that was pushing its way up his throat to his lips. Far too long he had put up with Kuwabara's idiocy, far too long he had sat back and watched as he mercilessly hit on his sister and tried to win her over...  
  
"YOU IDIOT, SHE'S MY SISTER!"  
  
Dead silence followed as several heads in the surrounding beds rose up to look in Hiei's direction. Keiko clapped a hand over her mouth in shock, Yusuke fell over, and Shizuru stifled an inappropriately timed laugh.  
  
"WHAAAA?!" Kuwabara asked, then blinked twice, and fell backwards off the bed.  
  
His sister made her way to his side and leaned down to peer into his face. "He's gone and passed out." Getting back on her feet, she waved at the small group of people crowding around the bed. "Go, go, there's nothing to see here..."  
  
The crowd parted silently, and the infirmary soon settled down, leaving Hiei and Chitsuko alone with Yukina's lifeless form.  
  
"I don't understand it... I can still feel her energy..." Chitsuko said quietly.  
  
"I can as well. These shadows must have simply done away with her soul, otherwise her energy level would be completely nonexistent..." Hiei gently laid Yukina back down on the bed, and several soft clicks sounded at his feet, rolling away under the bed and into the center aisle of the infirmary.  
  
"What..." Chitsuko scooted off the bed, her hands groping along the floor for the source of the small noises. Her fingertips brushed against something small and smooth, and she quickly closed her fingers around it and brought it up to her face.  
  
In her hand was a small gem, perfectly round and black as midnight. She held it in her palm for a long moment; it was warm against her skin. The gem had an otherworldly shine to it, and looked remarkably like...  
  
"Hiruiseki..." Chitsuko looked up just as two more black tear gems clattered to the floor. "...Hiei?"  
  
The Jaganshi did not look at her, but kept his gaze focused on his sister. "You know what you have to do," he said quietly.  
  
"Why does everyone keep SAYING that?!" the girl moaned.  
  
"Because we trust you." This time he turned to her, a soft twinkle falling from the corner of his eye and turning into one of the round black gems as it fell onto the back of his hand. "It will be dangerous, and you can only count on yourself."  
  
"What are you all trying to tell me? ...That I should fight Sanshi alone?"  
  
"It will come down to it in the end. You know that."  
  
The light in the infirmary dimmed just as a voice the girl recognized as Suzuki's cried, "RINKU! NOOOOO! RINKU!"  
  
In an instant Chitsuko was crying again, hot tears running down her grief-stricken face. "I know...... Kurama said that the Reiki Tantei could take one of the portals back in time and..."  
  
"Only you can do that. The rest of us are too weak to make the jump. And even if we're in perfect health now, there's no telling what condition we will be in tomorrow..." His glanced down at Yukina and heaved a small sigh. "Besides, the case with some of us is that we just don't have the heart to fight as of now..."  
  
"I understand, Hiei..." she stood up, ready to leave the infirmary.  
  
"Chitsuko-chan..."  
  
She turned back to Hiei. Her eyes widened when she saw the Jaganshi lean towards her and plant a soft, brutally warm kiss on her cheek. When he pulled back, he was wearing his trademark blank expression, although there was a light pink tint in his cheeks. "Good-bye, Chitsuko. And good luck."  
  
"Thank you Hiei..." Unable to bear standing there for another minute, the girl turned on her heels and ran from the infirmary, her head bowed, hot crystalline tears streaming behind her as she went.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Kuronue sighed as he scratched lazily behind one pointed ear. The hallways of the Reikai building were dim now, and the shadows along the floor and walls were deep and dark. He shuddered as he remembered that one of those shadows was inside him at that very moment, and he flexed his wings hesitantly, as though expecting a smarting pain to shoot through them.  
  
Footsteps coming down the hallway in his direction called the chimera to full attention. He looked up just as Chitsuko rounded the corner, the young kitsune slamming into him with a force that nearly knocked him off his feet. Quickly he regained his balance and grabbed the girl by the shoulders, steadying her against him as she tried to wriggle from his grasp. His eyes traveled downward and, with a slight start from their owner, settling on the long wooden oar in the girl's hands.  
  
"Let me go!"  
  
"Where are running to so fast, Kokitsune?" the youkai inquired, peering down at her through the dim light.  
  
She stopped squirming long enough to turn a sardonic gaze on his face. "Do you actually think I would tell you?"  
  
"...Come to think of it, no, I don't. But I want you to tell me anyway."  
  
"Make me."  
  
More footsteps rang out in the empty corridor, slowing down as they drew closer. Looking past Chitsuko, the chimera remarked bemusedly, "I don't think I'll have to."  
  
He released his hold on her, allowing her to take a step back into another set of arms. The hanyou turned her head to one side, just enough to make out the long blood-red tresses that spilled over her companion's shoulders.  
  
"Something told me Hiei would be the one to prompt your departure." Kurama tightened his hold on her, resting his head lovingly on her shoulder.  
  
Chitsuko, not wanting to discuss the matter, immediately changed the subject. "How are Shiori-san and Atsuko-san?"  
  
"They are in the same condition as everyone else. I will be doing all I can to slow their sickness. But that's beside the fact..." He spun her around to face him. "We knew you would try to leave on your own. You need someone to help to, to make sure you're alright... You need back-up..."  
  
"Whoa, hold on..." Chitsuko took a step back and out of his embrace, one hand held up defensively. "I spent nearly three years in Makai as a Spirit Detective, hunted down dangerous thieves, nearly got killed by my mortal enemy's ghost, was trapped in a poorly-created alternative dimension for over a year, survived an attack by the Dragon of the Darkness Flame, watched my friends work for the bad guys, and stopped a war from destroying an entire realm. ...And you're telling ME that I need BACK-UP?!"  
  
Kuronue snorted into his hand. "She has a point there, Fox..."  
  
"I know she does, and I understand it completely..." Kurama sighed, his emerald green ivy focusing on Chitsuko. "But what I hope she understands it that I'm simply worrying about her..."  
  
His words trailed off into silence. Chitsuko met Kurama's gaze, her own drooping with fatigue and sorrow. She took a step forward towards the youko and held out her arms in a childlike manner. Kurama accepted her offer, and came forward to meet her in a warm embrace, holding her tightly to him and burying his face in her golden tresses.  
  
"You're tired. I can see it in your eyes," he said when they finally pulled away from each other, tilting her chin up to look into her eyes once more. "You've been through so much."  
  
It was now or never. Chitsuko took her love's face in her hands and smiled weakly.  
  
"I love you, Kurama."  
  
Then her eyes slid shut and she pulled his face down for a soft, tender kiss.  
  
The chimera snickered into his hand and suppressed a small smile as he moved back, careful not to interrupt their moment.  
  
When Chitsuko stepped away from him, neither fox had dry eyes. Chitsuko's tears were already dripping down her cheeks, glinting in the dim light of the corridor. Kurama reached up with a trembling hand to touch his lips where hers had been only a moment before.  
  
"Chitsuko, I..."  
  
"I love you," she repeated, backing away. "Now leave me alone."  
  
Without another word she turned and sped down the hallway, the stolen oar still clutched in her hands.  
  
"Chitsuko!" Kurama called off, taking several steps forward as he readied himself to run. At once a blinding pain swelled up in his chest and he fell to his knees, coughing and sputtered. "Chit...ko..." he choked as Kuronue flew to his side, kneeling down to support him as he hacked blood onto the tiled floor. Both chimera and kitsune looked up just in time to see Chitsuko round the corner and leave their sight as Jorge stumbled into the hallway, narrowly avoiding being hit by the speeding girl.  
  
"Kurama-san! Kuronue-san! Where is Chitsuko-san going?" he cried as he ran to meet them.  
  
Kurama was still coughing too hard to answer through his mouthful of blood. "She's leaving," Kuronue said quietly, patting his former partner on the back to help unclog his throat and lungs.  
  
"Leaving?" The oni's eyes widened and he screeched, "LEAVING?! SHE CAN'T! SHE'LL GET KILLED!" Then he turned on his heel and rushed down the hallway, flailing his arms above his head frantically.  
  
"I have faith in her," Kurama murmured as Kuronue held him up, the kitsune's eyes wandering down the hallway to where he had last seen Chitsuko. "I only wish I had gotten a chance to tell her..." The pain in his chest increased dramatically, and he winced as it stung his heart and lungs. Not wanting to wait incase his condition got worse, Kuronue swung the youko into his arms and ran with him down the hallway towards the infirmaries, sending out a silent prayer for Chitsuko as he did so.  
  
* * * * *  
  
The alarm went off just as Chitsuko made it to the main entrance hall of the building. Onis were already pouring into the corridor, chasing after her and shouting.  
  
"Put down the oar!"  
  
"Chitsuko-san, don't!"  
  
"You mustn't leave until the Tantei is ready to accompany you!"  
  
The girl did not respond. Instead she quickly jumped onto the oar, perching herself on its slim wooden shaft as she vaulted into the air, sailing above the heads of the desperate ogres as they reached for her. Skirting around them as they jumping into the air in hopes of catching her, she finally made her way to the giant doors that would lead to the outside world, and eventually, Makai.  
  
Onis had assembled around the base of the doorframe, their arms spread out in an attempt to block her exit. She silently laughed at them, finding it amusing that they would chose to block the ground exit when she was floating some dozen odd feet in the air above them.  
  
"The doors are locked, Chitsuko-san!" one of them called up to her. "You can't get out this way!"  
  
"I'm a resourceful girl. Of course I can." Feeling the mischievous spirit of Hanyou Kohana rise within her, she formed a small orb of her spirit energy in one hand. As the onis looked on nervously, she grinned and hurled the glowing golden sphere at the doors.  
  
"SPIRIT BOMBER!"  
  
An explosion rattled the building and thick smoke filled the entrance hall. The onis screamed and began to frantically fan at the smoke, hoping to dissipate it before their target had a chance to escape. But it was too late.  
  
Chitsuko slipped unseen through the gaping hole in the doors and out into the gray sky, her mind set on the coordinates of Makai and her heart set on her friends' lives. 


	14. Chapter 13 Facing It Alone

Sorry with the delay, once again. ^^;; Writer's block, malnutrition, lack of sleep, and not enough time to breathe is what's slowed me down this time. T.T Not to mention a heinous amount of heinously long rehearsals and heinously stupid homework. Not to mention I was quite ill for a while, but now I'm OKAY! ^^;; I hope...  
  
Anyway, here it is! The turning point of Rememory. Short, I know, but I likes it, precious. ^^ Enjoy!  
  
~Lexi-chan~  
  
P.S. HUZZAH FOR PETER JACKSON AND LOTR:ROTK!!! WOOOOOOO!! I hope everyone saw the Oscars. ;D  
  
This is for Kia-chan, just because. ^^ Ai shiteru. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Chapter 13: Facing It Alone  
  
"She's gone then..."  
  
Karasu was sitting up in his bed when Kurama and Kuronue returned to the infirmary. The kitsune nodded sadly as he was helped into a bed beside the crow. Outside the alarm continued to wail, filling the hallway with its blaring siren.  
  
"Why so upset?" Karasu inquired, smiling grimly. His mask had been removed, and now his amethyst eyes glittered in the soft light, playing off his handsome features. "You knew she was going to do it."  
  
"In my mind I did, but in my heart I still didn't want to believe it." Kurama pulled the blankets up to his stomach as he slide beneath them, his gaze unfocused. "Of course she would try to leave on her own. It's her personality..."  
  
Suddenly the alarm stopped, and the building went quiet once again.  
  
"She's on her way," the chimera remarked, a sad undertone in his voice.  
  
A cry rose up from two beds away. Suzaku was leaning over Kaeru, her pale hands clasped in his. "WHY, DAMNIT?!" he cried, stamping his foot angrily on the tiled floor. "WHY COULDN'T YOU HOLD ON?!"  
  
"Yelling at her dead body isn't the answer, you idiot!" Kuronue screamed, climbing out of his bed once more to kneel at the Koorime's bedside. The young girl's sea-green bangs were plastered to her forehead, stuck there with a cold sweat, and her face was flushed a dull pink color.  
  
"The disease is affecting everyone differently..." Touya had made his way to the Ice Maiden's beside. He too had a faint red color in his cheeks. He leaned down to take her pulse wrapping his slender fingers around her equally skinny wrist. "Nothing. She's with Yukina and Rinku now, wherever they are......." Then he added, puzzled, "But I can still sense her energy..."  
  
"I can too, but WHERE IS HER SPIRIT?!" The Saint Beast was frantic, screaming his words directly into the Shinobi's face.  
  
The Ice Master scowled. "I do not know. I believe that's what our Chitsuko-chan has gone to find out..."  
  
"You knew too?" Kuronue asked, blinking in shock.  
  
"I believe we all did." From the next bed over, Suzuki sat up, his eyes focused on the group. "This disease is deteriorating us from the inside out. Naturally our souls are the first to go, shortly followed by our energy. What will happen to our bodies after that, I am unsure..."  
  
"That's a real nice way ta cheer 'em up, Suzuki," Jin remarked as he floated over to the group, coughing between his words. "And anyway, I have faith in Chit-chan. She'll pull through for us. She always has..."  
  
"Yes, but she's never faced something quite like this before," Kurama remarked quietly. "She's headed for the past... Who knows what kind of torture and pain she'll have to endure..." His voice trailed off and he pulled the blankets up to his chin, letting his eyes slide shut before anyone could ask him another question.  
  
"He's takin' it hard, eh?" Jin whispered to no one in particular.  
  
"Let him be," Suzuki replied, scolding him gently. "You were the same way with your beloved Kia..."  
  
The Wind Master gulped and a red blush stained his cheeks. "Hey now, that's below th' belt..."  
  
"All is fair in love and war," Suzuki quoted with a wry smirk.  
  
"Yes," Touya said quietly, his gaze drifting back to Kurama's sleeping form as Suzaku continued to sob over Kaeru's body. "And by the looks of things, we have both to deal with..."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Chitsuko bowed her head just enough so that her long hair blew over her shoulders instead of in her face. She was flying at an alarmingly fast speed over the mountains of Makai, keep her grip on the oar tight for fear of falling. It was nearly morning now, and the sun was just starting to creep into the sky and spread its cold, bright rays over the world.  
  
The golden-haired hanyou heaved a sigh. "I'm actually doing this?" she asked herself somberly as she flew up the peak of the last mountain and into the open air.  
  
Below her lay the forests of Makai. The landscape seemed alien to her; the bright portals of flashing red and blue lights obstructed the deep green foliage. They hovered above the treetops, shimmering menacingly. The atmosphere was permeated with the crack and buzz of static energy, making the air seem close and fragile. It was as though one only had to reach out a hand into the empty sky to get shocked by the electric power.  
  
Chitsuko swallowed hard and brought the oar up, sailing higher until the forest was directly below her. Here she paused, hovering above the eerie lights. "Am I really going to do this?" she whispered, shrugging her shoulders to keep the straps of her backpack securely on her back. She remembered what waited for her through those portals, and her mouth went suddenly dry as he heart twisted with dread...  
  
There was a shrill beeping sound from within her backpack, and then, "Chitsuko? ...CHITSUKO!"  
  
Severely bewildered, the girl swung one strap off her shoulder, plunging her hand into the bag to find the source of the screaming. "Chitsuko! Chitsuko, can you hear me?" came the worried voice again. After a moment of frantic searching, the girl finally pulled out a small pink and black compact. The small item was beeping fanatically and the muffled voice kept screaming her name. "CHITSUKO! ANSWER ME!"  
  
The kitsune flipped open the compact to reveal the faces of a very flustered Koenma in his toddler form. Behind him stood a seemingly calm Karasu and a worried-looking Yusuke.  
  
"CHITSUKO! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" the miniature Reikai ruler screamed, startling the girl so bad she nearly dropped the compact.  
  
"I..."  
  
"DO YOU REALLY THINK YOU CAN HANDLE SANSHI ON YOUR OWN?"  
  
"Koenma-sama, please, listen to me..."  
  
"YOU'LL GET SICK TOO! YOU'LL BE KILLED! WHAT IN THE..."  
  
Chitsuko was spared any further scolding from the toddler as he was pushed out of the way. Kuronue's face appeared in the compact's screen. "Chit-chan? Are you alright?"  
  
"I'm fine," she said, accompanied by a sigh of relief. "Are you?"  
  
"We'll manage..." The chimera smiled sadly. Muffled sounds could be heard on the other line, and a pacifier went flying across the screen. "Is Koenma-sama...?"  
  
"He'll be fine. The little brat seems well enough to scream like a banshee, anyway. We'll restrain him."  
  
"Oh, well... That's good..." She tried to smile but only succeeded in looking pathetic. "...How did I get this thing anyway?" She flipped the compact over, examining it.  
  
"It's a Communication Mirror," Kuronue replied. "Jorge sneaked it into your bag. When you ran out of the infirmary after your little chat with Hiei, we kind of knew..." His deep violet eyes fell to the floor.  
  
"I'm sorry... I really am. But I have to go..."  
  
"We understand. It's just..."  
  
Something in his tone of voice made her stomach tie itself in a knot. Fear and anxiety overwhelmed her and she asked, "...Kuro-kun? ...What is it?"  
  
"It's Kurama." Karasu took the compact from Kuronue, his glimmering eyes studying the girl over his mask.  
  
Chitsuko's heart stopped. "Is he...?"  
  
"No. But he is heartbroken," was the simple reply. "He...wanted me to tell you something..."  
  
"Tell me...?" Chitsuko bit her lip, her eyes wide. "Where is he now?"  
  
"Right here."  
  
Again the Communication Mirror changed hands, and she found herself looking into Kurama's emerald green eyes. But there was something different about him. Those eyes, normally bright and vivid, with dull, almost lifeless. The skin around them was red. His face was pale, his cheeks colorless, and his blood-red hair hung limply in his face.  
  
"Chitsuko..."  
  
The hanyou swallowed hard as tears crept into her eyes. "Kurama."  
  
The youko tried to smile. "Please, don't cry. How are you holding up? It's been a little over a day now."  
  
"I'm...fine."  
  
"Are you in Makai yet?"  
  
"Right over the forest."  
  
"Did you bring food?"  
  
"Enough for a week."  
  
"Medical supplies?"  
  
"Some bandages and rubbing alcohol."  
  
"A change of clothes?"  
  
"A few of my old battle uniforms." When Kurama simply nodded and didn't ask another question, she asked one of her own. "Why aren't you trying to stop me?"  
  
Kurama sighed. "Because I know that this is inevitable. Sanshi infected all of us with his shadow disease to lure you out into the open, alone..." Remorse crept into his already sad voice. "I only wish I could be there to help you..."  
  
"I've taken care of myself before," Chitsuko retorted, rather stubbornly. "Remember? Makai? Yokozuki? The almost-war?" She was beginning to come indignant; no amount of coaxing would convince her to return while her friends suffered a fate worse than death. "What do you take me for?"  
  
"You know I love you, right?"  
  
Chitsuko had opened her mouth to spit out another snide comment, but snapped it quickly shut. Her eyes widened and her breath caught in her throat. "Kurama...?" she managed to say, barely a whisper.  
  
Suddenly the crackling of static intensified and a shockwave of energy filled the atmosphere, rippling the air and causing the oar on which Chitsuko sat to shudder violently. The girl barely had time to grip the wooden shaft when a bolt of blue energy darted up from within the portals, splitting the air dangerously close to where she hovered.  
  
With a yelp the girl maneuvered the oar backwards, nearly losing her balance as she did a full flip in mid-air, still perched on the broom, to recover her position. There were several more sharp cracks and more bolts of blue lightning shot up towards her. She dodged them, trying to concentrate over the loud noise and the screaming from the other end of her Communication Mirror.  
  
"Chitsuko? Chitsuko! CHITSUKO?!"  
  
"I'm sorry," she whispered, swerving around a bolt that had just missed the end of the oar. The hanyou paused for a moment to wipe the sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand. "But I have to..."  
  
Another crack, the loudest of all, shattered the girl's eardrums. She moved to fly away, but it was too late. The oar broke beneath her and a wave of warm pain shot through her body. She screamed, reaching out for anything to hold on to, but it was no use. The communication mirror slipped from her hand.  
  
Chitsuko fell, splintered pieces of wood dancing around her, pain throbbing in her veins. The last thing she heard was her name, calling over miles and miles through the Communication Mirror, distorted and metallic. She head swam, her heart thundered in her chest, and panicked overwhelmed her. In a daze of terror and desperation, she let out all the energy she could, sending out a sort of distress signal. Something burst inside of her. Her body became warm and she felt her power course through her veins. Her limbs began to ache a familiar tingling sensation ran up and down her spine.  
  
Then her body made contact with the portal and she fell through, the shimmering lights splashing upward in a cascade of sparks as the hanyou was swallowed by its mysterious depths.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Back in Reikai, silenced reigned. Kurama stood holding the Communication Mirror, its screen covered with fuzzy black and white lines. A soft crackling of static electricity came through the speakers before the compact finally died, its screen going blank with a soft ping. Behind the youko, Kuronue and Karasu exchanged a worried glance, and Koenma wriggled his way out from under the chimera's foot, gasping to catch his breath.  
  
"I KNEW IT!" he shouted, almost triumphantly. "I KNEW SHE'D ONLY DIG HERSELF DEEPER INTO THIS MESS! I KNEW I SHOUD'VE SENT KIA AND KELSEY TO HELP HER! IF ONLY THAT STUBBORN GIRL WOULD'VE WAITED I COULD'VE CALLED THEM AND THEN..."  
  
"No," Kurama said calmly, slowly closing the compact and dropping his arm to his side. "It would be of no use getting the Mirror Holders involved. They could do nothing to help Chitsuko." He bowed his head. "She needs to face this on her own..."  
  
A solitary tear slid down the youko's face and fell to the floor, before the youko himself fell to his knees and lost consciousness completely. 


	15. Chapter 14 Our Humble Band of Thieves

This is dedicated to Heather-chan, my one and only cranberry squirrel, and Kia-chan, who is my wonderful muse and pushed me back into my writing momentum with her wonderful Kikyoku. Go read it! ...NOW! =^^=  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Chapter 14: Our Humble Band of Thieves  
  
"Mmmm..." When Chitsuko came to, she was startled to find that she had passed out to begin with. The last thing she remembered was the oar breaking and her falling...  
  
She sat up with a start. She had fallen through the portal. This place had to be...  
  
The leaves were the greenest she had ever seen. The foliage was flecked with the lush fruits and blossoms of springtime. Soft grass tickled her bare skin and the sweet-smelling earth cushioned her body as she pulled herself onto her knees to further inspect her surroundings. Strange- sounding birds chirped softly in the trees and squirrels skittered along their branches. A cranberry-colored one darted out of a knothole and across the girl's path, pausing to inspect the forest's new visitor. It cocked its head to one side and took a tentative scamper forward, its nose sniffing in the girl's direction.  
  
"Hey there. I won't hurt you." The girl out her hand to the tiny creature, then paused abruptly. The voice that had issued from her mouth sounded nothing like her own. It was gentle, yet smoldering, undoubtedly more grown up than her usual tone. The squirrel came to her hand, and as she lifted the animal up in the palm of her hand a long wavy strand of pale gold fell over her shoulder. With her free hand to tugged at it, only to discover that it was attached to her head, and that her skin had turned a soft creamy peach.  
  
"What...? AII!" She jumped to her feet, the cranberry squirrel scuttling up to her shoulder in fear of being dropping. The hanyou looked down at herself; her limbs had grown longer and she was practically busting out of her clothing. The jeans she had been wearing were now torn to pieces and there was practically nothing left of her t-shirt and jacket. She reached around to tug down the back of shirt and her hands brushed something fluffy and soft. Bewildered, almost frightened, she wrapped her fingers around it and pulled.  
  
"YAAAAA!" The girl's cry echoed through the trees, scattering a flock of birds twittering beside a nearby pond. She rubbed her backside, squinting as tears of pain collected in the corners of her eyes. She craned her neck backwards to confirm her suspicions. A fuzzy golden tail poked through the back of her demolished pants.  
  
She gulped. "I..." Hesitantly, the girl reached up to feel the top of her head. Sure enough, her fingers made contact with two pointed ears. "This is crazy..." She sprinted to the edge of the pond and tentatively leaned over, half dreading what she knew she would see.  
  
Two silvery eyes stared back at her. Long waves of pale golden hair fell over her lithe, slender body. Two golden fox ears poked through the top of her head and a tail of the same color swished lazily in the air behind her.  
  
"Hanyou Kohana..." she breathed. "...No," she corrected herself. "That's me."  
  
"SURRENDER, TRESSPASSER!"  
  
"Wha...AAAHH!" The squirrel jumped off Kohana's shoulder and scampered away as a shining metal object whizzed past her face. She jumped backwards, only to have the razor-sharp object make contact with her back. A shallow scratch opened up just above her newly acquired tail and a thin line of blood appeared under the fabric. The kitsune whirled around just as a thorny vine wound itself around her body, cutting into her skin and causing her to lose her balance and topple into the pond.  
  
Beneath the rippling surface of the water, Kohana could see the bank clearly. She squirmed, desperate to unbind her arms. But the vine remained tight around her, enabling her from swimming to safety. Frantically kicking her legs with all the physical energy she could muster, she moved slowly upwards towards the surface just as a dark figure plunged a hand into the water.  
  
She was hoisted upwards, coughing and spluttering as she was dragged onto the bank. The vine around her loosened and she was hauled roughly to her feet. The hanyou angrily pushed her soaking-wet hair out of her face and stared into the deep violet eyes of her attacker.  
  
"KURONUE!" she shouted, and immediately regretted it. She clamped her hands over her mouth. Dare she risk altering the past?  
  
It was already too late. The chimera raised one thin eyebrow and scratched behind one pointed ear. He looked baffled for a brief moment before breaking out into a satisfied grin. "Ah, I bet you've heard of me." He chuckled narcissistically and ran a hand through his dark ponytail. "Then again, who hasn't?"  
  
"Kuronue, if you keep this up Misao is going to get pissed," another voice said, this one directly behind her. It was strong and full of life, hinting at a hidden power. "It's her loot we want, not her body. Besides... she isn't THAT good-looking..."  
  
"You bastard!" Kohana whirled around, raising her hand to make contact with her second assailant's face. Before she could strike at him again, or get a good look at him, Kuronue grabbed her arms and twisted them behind her back, causing her to fall to her knees. Her hair fell over her face and she bowed her head, defeated for the moment. "I bet you're no big- looker yourself..."  
  
A hand brushed her hair out of her face as another took hold of her chin and forced her to look upwards. A pair of clear golden eyes met hers in the midst of a head of long silvery tresses. He too had fox ears, the same color as his hair, and a long tail hung lazily at his back, poking through his white tunic.  
  
Both foxes lost their breath at the same moment, both clearly regretting their words denounced each other's appearances.  
  
The youko's hard gaze softened slightly. "You're..."  
  
"...Gorgeous..." Kohana finished, both on his behalf and her own.  
  
"Kurama! I thought we were only interested in her loot, ne?" Kuronue said impatiently as he let go of the girl's arms.  
  
Kurama straightened up, recoiling his hands. "We are." His eyes never left Kohana. "Now, if you give us what you've got, will give you a running start..."  
  
"Boys!"  
  
A soft, gentle voice cried. Kurama was pushed aside and replaced with another kitsune youko, only this one was female. Her hair was long and golden, a mess of curls that cascaded over her shoulders and framed her face. Small sections were braided along the sides of her head and tied securely at the back, just below her golden fox ears. Her eyes were a dark gray, glinting with tender concern for her companions' captive as she kneeled down to look Kohana in the face. She wore a light blue tunic similar to the one Kurama wore, only without pants underneath, leaving her legs fully exposed. Strips of the same material were tied around her wrists and ankles, and her golden tail was erect behind her.  
  
Kohana watched speechlessly as the female youko scrutinized her, then reached over to smooth down her hair compassionately. "Oh, you've frightened her half to death!" She shot an angry glance at the to men. "Kurama! Kuronue! Shame on you! And attacking a WOMAN nonetheless! I never thought you would stoop so low..."  
  
"Misao, we ARE thieves," Kurama pointed out as Kuronue made his way behind the female and draped his arms lovingly over her shoulders. "We take what we can from whom we can. It's simple." He looked down at Kohana with obvious annoyance. "What makes her any different?"  
  
"She's one of US, Kurama!" Misao answered, helping Kohana to her feet. "Maybe she's part of our original pack! What is your name?" she asked the girl sweetly, a warm smile on her face.  
  
Kohana's mouth was dry and her tongue wouldn't move, her throat tight. She felt as though her heart had swelled up and inhibited her lungs from taking in air. The demon standing before her was Misao.  
  
Her mother.  
  
"Hel-looo?" Kuronue waved a hand in front of Kohana's dazed face. "Who are you? Answer us!"  
  
"Oh!" Startled back to reality, she answered, "Kohana. My name is Kohana."  
  
This seemed to satisfy them and prompted another smile from Misao. "'Kohana'... I like that name." She turned to Kuronue. "Kuro, let's name our child Kohana! It's such a pretty name..." The woman turned back to Kohana. "And it fits you perfectly. You look just like a little flower."  
  
"A dying one," Kurama remarked snidely, earning another threatening glance from Kohana.  
  
Kuronue rolled his eyes. "No more talk of kids, Misao, please..." He rubbed his temples with one finger. "I don't want to think about having kids, much less naming them..."  
  
Misao turned to face the chimera completely, planting her hand squarely on her hips. "Kuronue, it's been nearly fifty years now, and we still haven't had a child..."  
  
"Oh, but children are no fun..." Kuronue half cooed, taking the kitsune into his arms and bringing his face close to hers. "Besides, we couldn't work with little ones running around... let alone play..."  
  
He moved as though to kiss her but she pushed him away. "Kuronue..." she sighed. "Sometimes, I just don't think this is really worth it..."  
  
"If you two have the sex talk again I'm going to throw up everything I've eaten in the past week." Kurama gave his male partner a light shove before tossing his long hair rather vainly over his shoulder.  
  
Kohana shuddered, then winced. That's right, Kuronue is my mother's ex-boyfriend...And to think he kissed me when... She started, the memories of two certain occasions flooding back to her. "Oh my God, he KISSED me!" she squealed out loud, and promptly spat on the ground at her feet. "That's like kissing my own MOTHER..."  
  
Both Kurama and Kuronue stared oddly at the girl, the latter's eye twitching. "What the hell are you talking about?" the chimera asked, moving past Misao to peer into Kohana's blushing face.  
  
"I...uh... Nothing. It's nothing. I'm just... tired!" Kohana grinned, proud of her tactful lie. "And... when I get tired, I... say things, and...get really... weird."  
  
"I don't know, you seem pretty awake to me..." Kurama slowly circled around her, every now and then running his fingers through her hair or across her exposing skin. Kohana growled deep in her throat, but this didn't seem to daunt him in the slightest. "And what the hell kind of clothes are these?" he asked, tugging at the girl's shredded jeans.  
  
"They're..."  
  
"Ruined!" Misao interjected, practically launching herself at the other female and linking one arm through hers. "Come back to our den, I have plenty of clothes you can borrow. I don't mind."  
  
"Misao!" Kuronue scolded, tugging Kohana away from his lover by her free arm. The younger kitsune stumbled sideways and fell to the ground, her damp hair falling in her face and hiding the angry look in her bright eyes. "We're THIEVES. We don't need a free-loader to take care of."  
  
"Nonsense! The poor girl is obviously homeless..." Misao looked to Kohana, who verified this with a hasty nod. "Who knows, perhaps she can be of some assistance to us."  
  
"Assistance?" Kuronue scoffed. "How?"  
  
"Misao may be right. We could use one more set of hands..."  
  
Before any more could be said, Kurama bent down, snatching Kohana up into his arms and slinging her over his shoulder. The girl cried out in protest, but a swift yank of her tail from the chimera silence her. She bit her lip, trying to ignore the shockwave of pain that rippled upwards from her abused backside.  
  
"You'd better stay quiet," Kurama said, walking off into the trees with Misao and Kuronue close behind him. "These woods are teeming with unsettled youkai just waiting for an opportunity to attack someone. A pretty thing like you wouldn't want to die in her prime, now would you?"  
  
The young kitsune raised one eyebrow. First he was calling her homely, and now she was pretty? She shook her head. "I'll never understand men..." she lamented aloud.  
  
"And I'll never understand why women have to complicate everything," Kuronue mumbled as Misao shrugged his arm off her shoulders. He stopped in his tracks, folded his arms over his chest and asked, "This isn't about the baby thing, is it?"  
  
"Maybe..." was the curt answer as Misao stalked away after Kurama and Kohana. With a exasperated sigh Kuronue followed, one hand pressed to his aching head.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"M-Misao-san?" Kohana poked her head through the curtain that separated the kitsune's bedroom from the rest of the den. She glanced around her at surroundings; they were in one of the two main rooms of the den, connected by a small hallway that you had to crawl through. The world outside was accessible through a small tunnel that lead upward to an exit partially covered by the gnarled roots of a giant oak tree. The room she was in now, Misao's and Kuronue's, was strewn with assorted shiny objects, such as mirror and jewelry, and several blankets were spread out on the floor.  
  
"Hm?" Misao turned, combing her fingers through her long golden hair.  
  
"I think this is a little...revealing."  
  
"Nonsense! Come here and let me see."  
  
Blushing, Kohana stepped gingerly out from the security of the curtain. She was clad in a sleeveless white dress cut all the way down the middle. The neckline was low and the dress was tied shut with a long leather string, ending at her hips and revealing tight white underwear.  
  
"Oh, Kohana-chan, you look ADORABLE!" Misao hugged her new charge, grinned broadly. "Just wait until the boys see!"  
  
"See what?"  
  
Kuronue and Kurama stood below the entrance tunnel, the former leaning on the den wall. He scoffed when he saw Kohana and her state of dress. "Misao, did you HAVE to put her in that? That's your sexiest dress..."  
  
"But I hardly wear it anymore!" the female youko protested. "And besides, it fits her better. Doesn't it Kurama? ...Kurama?"  
  
There was no answer from the silver youko. He had crossed the room to stand in front of Kohana, his expression blank. He studied her with his hard golden eyes, running his gaze up and down her figure slowly. The girl felt herself turn pink as she noted where his eyes lingered the longest.  
  
Finally he spoke. "Are you quick?"  
  
A bit puzzled by his question, she answered, "Yes."  
  
"Are you good with your hands?"  
  
"...Yes..."  
  
"Can you handle pressure?"  
  
"Are you trying to figure out whether or not she'll be of any use to us or are you asking her for a tumble?" Kuronue cried, pushing up the brim of his torn hat.  
  
Kurama's eyes narrowed slightly and he ignored his partner's question. "She'll do. Just try not to get in our way." His gaze flicked up at Misao. "I'll expect you to look after her. I don't want her getting underfoot." Then without another word he made his way back to the entrance hole and climbed up and out of sight, Kuronue following closely behind him.  
  
Kohana frowned. "Bastard..."  
  
"Oh, don't be so hard on him!" Misao chirped. "The fact that he hasn't tried to kill or head you off yet means he likes you." Taking Kohana by the hand, she led her toward the hole. "You just have to ignore them sometimes, they're not so bad." Turning, she flashed a bright smile at her new friend. "Welcome to our humble band of thieves, Kohana-chan!" 


	16. Chapter 15 Chance Meeting

Now I know what you're all thinking....  
  
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYY!!!  
  
I am TERRIBLY HORRIBLY AWFULLY sorry for the wait! I had my production of Tommy, plus two months full of end-of-the-year work that has sapped my creative energy. And if you've been reading my LiveJournal (link on my author page), you can see that I've been going through some rough times. Well... rough as far as teenage lives go.  
  
And in other news, I'M 16!!! Yes, my birthday was last Saturday. Woooo!   
  
Hopefully I'll be writing more now, as school gets out in two weeks...  
  
On, and did I forget to tell you all that Kokitsune celebrated its one-year anniversary in March? Yes, I've been working on this baby for a year... 'Tis my child... ::::glompage::  
  
This chapter is dedicated to Janis-chan, a.k.a. Celebrindae, for sending me e-mails every day reminding me to update. Folks, thank her, because without her, this chapter would not be up and this story, no matter how much I want to finish it and get started on the co-write with Kia, would go by the wayside. SO SANKYUU, JANIS-CHAN! ::MASSIVE GLOMPAGE:: Ai shiteru!!!  
  
And now, what you've all been waiting for... CHAPTER 15!!! ::throws confetti::

* * *

Chapter 15: Chance Meeting  
  
"Jekku.... JEKKU! Damn, where IS he?" The young youkai scratched fiercely at his head, upsetting his deep green hair, shorn just above his shoulders and hanging in front of his bright orange eyes. He glanced at the surrounding foliage one last time before sighing with exasperation and trudging back towards the sounds of camp.  
  
Upon his arrival the youkai immediately flopped down in front of the fire, falling forward onto his stomach with a groan and rolling onto his back. He tucked his hands beneath his head and closed his eyes with another grunt of quiet frustration.  
  
"What's the matter?"  
  
The green-haired boy opened one eye to peer at the speaker on the other side of the fire. "He's missing again, Touhin."  
  
Touhin finished tying his short hair into a ponytail at the back of his head, then turned his soft lavender eyes on his companion. "Jekku-san is a free spirit. You can't expect him to sit still for so long... Besides, he hasn't been in Makai as nearly as long as we have, remember that. I think you're being too hard on him, Yokozuki-san..."  
  
Yokozuki yawned lazily and closed his eye again. "It's called tough love, Touhin."  
  
"Hm." Touhin sighed and got to his feet, casting a brief look into the trees surrounding the camp and retreated back towards his tent. All around him, other bounty hunters were sharpening and polishing their weapons or taking advantage of their free time by having a quick meal. He himself wasn't very hungry; the thought of hunting never did make him hungry. Just thinking about the possible bloodshed in the day's future... Squeamish as he was, Touhin shivered and pushed the thought into the back of his mind.  
  
"Zoutarou."  
  
Touhin stopped in his tracks. Only one person addressed him by his last name. Quickly he turned around and straightened his posture, bringing himself to full attention for his master.  
  
"Sanshi-sama."  
  
The leader of the hunters nodded, long, snow-white braids swaying gently in the win. He turned his hard black eyes onto his young charge. "I'm putting you on lookout tonight."  
  
"Lookout, Sanshi-sama?"  
  
Sanshi nodded, tapping the hilt of the sword strapped at his side. "There are thieves in this forest. Bandits."  
  
"....Bandits?"  
  
"Do you not know where we are, Zoutarou?"  
  
"N-no, sir..."  
  
Sanshi's gaze was now directed into the forest, darting between the trees and bushes then back to the tress. "We are in Youko Kurama's territory."  
  
Touhin's eyes widened. He had heard the name before, as well as the legend behind it. "Y-Y-Youko K-Kurama? The infamous kitsune thief?"  
  
"Indeed. We are on his land, and I'm sure he will take that as an excuse to raid us. Be on your guard, Zoutarou. Notify the others, especially your friends over there, Guukan and Tomoe. Tomoe seems to be a little... up in the clouds, lately."  
  
"Well... you can't blame Jekku-san for being a dreamer, Sanshi-sama. He is only human."  
  
Sanshi seemed to ponder this statement for a moment. Then he said, "That is true. He is only human... And a very gifted one at that."  
  
Touhin nodded in agreement. "I will do my best tonight."  
  
"I expect it." Sanshi gave a last nod before striding off in the opposite direction, leaving Touhin to scamper back to his tent in stunned silence. The territory of Youko Kurama! The young youkai gave one last worried glanced around the camp before slipping into the comfortable privacy of his tent.

* * *

"Did we HAVE to take her along?"  
  
"Shut up, Kuro-kun."  
  
Misao gave her lover a sharp slap on the back of his head. The chimera grimaced and rubbed at the painful spot, throwing a short yet potent glare in Kohana's direction. The younger kitsune did not respond, but kept her eyes trained on the trees ahead of her.  
  
"She may be useful yet," Kurama remarked quietly, moving to walk beside her. "Although young Kohana here looks fragile, she may harbor skills that will benefit us sooner or later..."  
  
Kohana's turned her silvery eyes on Kurama. "I just love how you talk about me as though I'm not here." She quicked her pace, bypassing her three companions with a toss of her long golden hair and a coquettish shrug on her shoulders.  
  
"Such an attitude..." Kurama muttered.  
  
"At least I'm not consumed by narcissism..." Kohana bit back in reply.  
  
"Unlike you, I have an excuse to be narcissistic. You can hardly argue with that."  
  
Kohana halted in her tracks, hands clenched at her sides. "What ever happened to 'gorgeous', huh?" Despite her attempts to hide it, there was hurt in the girl's voice.  
  
Kurama strode past her without a backwards glance. "First impressions aren't everything..."  
  
Misao came up behind Kohana and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Oh, Kohana-chan... Don't fret over him, he can be such a jerk sometimes..."  
  
Kohana only half heard her. She winced as she felt her fingernails digger deeper into her palms. "I never knew he could be such an asshole..."  
  
Misao took a step back, obviously baffled. "'Never knew'? Kohana- chan, what do you mean? ...Kohana-chan?"  
  
Kohana wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, steeled herself, and stalked forward just as Kuronue stopped beside Misao. Misao reached out after her new friend, but Kohana shrugged her off.  
  
"Kohana-chan?"  
  
"Oh, let her be," Kuronue said quietly, resting his hands on Misao's hips. "Let's see how she handles things..."  
  
Kohana was five feet behind Kurama when her anger took over. Without a second thought or an inkling of the consequence, she sprinted forward and threw herself on the youko, sinking her teeth into one of his ears as they went down.  
  
"YAAAAAAA!!"  
  
Kuronue and Misao stood dumfounded, watching the two fox demons as they rolled around on the ground, biting and scratching fiercely. Kohana was on top of the Kurama, straddling his stomach and striking at his face with a violent intensity formerly believed to be out of character for the pretty young fox. Kurama fought back with just as much strength and determination of overpower her, and soon they were rolling about again, the male now bleeding from a shallow gash in his hairline made by the female's sharp nails.  
  
"She didn't..." Kuronue choked out in a whisper.  
  
"Oh, she did..." Misao hid a smile behind her hand. "She did..."

* * *

"Hmm?"  
  
The young human man stirred from his light sleep and opened one pale blue eye. He stretched his arms above his head, then turned lazily onto his stomach as he searched for the source of the loud screeching that had awoken him.  
  
"Sounds like... two animals fighting," he murmured to himself, swatting at a few strands of reddish-brown hair that had fallen in front of his face. He played with the end of them, running their flipped-out ends over his fingertips, then let it go and swung his legs over the side of the branch. A small bird, no bigger than his hand and as green as the foliage around him, settled itself on the branch beside him and began to twitter madly.  
  
Jekku Tomoe turned to the bird and spoke to it as though it were another person. "Yeah, tell me about it... 'S loud enough to wake all the dead demons in Makai..." Jekku flexed one muscular arm, ridding it of its post-nap ache, and picked the bird up, stroking its head with one finger. "Either there's a brawl out there or someone's in wild connubial bliss."  
  
The bird let out several short, high chirps as though it were laughing.  
  
Jekku smiled. "Shall we find out?"  
  
The bird seemed to nod its head, and Jekku took it as such. He pushed away from the branch and landed swiftly on his feet on the grassy forest floor below. He had set the bird on his shoulder and was just starting out when a familiar voice called his name.  
  
"Jekku-san! ...Jekku-san!"  
  
Jekku sighed and turned around, playing impatiently with the ring on his right index finger. "Coming, Touhin!" he called back, making his way in the direction of his group's camp. "Worrying again?" he muttered under his breath with a small smile. The green bird gave another little nod and sprang into the air. Jekku stopped for a moment and watched it fly away, waving good-bye before dashing off in the direction of his friend's voice.

* * *

"You didn't have to hit me so hard."  
  
"You didn't hit me hard enough."  
  
"STOP WITH THE INNUENDO!"  
  
Kurama and Kohana, who had been arguing since their little brawl, stopping walking and turned to look at Kuronue. His hands were over his pointed ears, and Misao was shaking her head in exasperation beside him.  
  
"It hasn't even been two days and I'm already sick of you!" the chimera cried, stalking past them and pulling his scythe out from under his shirt.  
  
"What he means to say is... he's just not used to the arguing." Misao moved beside Kohana as the other three started up walking again. "Normally he's the one being argued with. He's not accustomed to listening to someone else complain and bicker..." She chuckled lightly. "And he and Youko are quite the quarrelsome duo..."  
  
"Oh?" Kurama glanced sideways at the two females, his eyebrows raised. "What about he and you?"  
  
"Oh Kurama, please don't bring that up..."  
  
"It's true, you can't deny that it's true. You two fight more than he and I do. The only difference is that we don't talk about children..."  
  
"Oh, you wouldn't understand!" Misao cried, anger passing over her face. "You've never thought about having children once in your life, and I doubt you ever will! So why don't you just... just shut up, Kurama!" She quickened her pace until she walked beside Kuronue once more. The chimera reacted quickly to her presence and slid his arm around her waist, pulling her closer as they moved on.  
  
"I would ask for an explaination, but it seems to be none of my business..." Kohana remarked quietly, watching the chimera and the fox ahead of them.  
  
"No need, I'll tell you anyway. It's a little complicated, but if you're going to get along with both of them you might as well know..." Kurama cleared his throat and moved closer to Kohana as he lowered his voice. "Misao and Kuronue have been together for quite some time now, and still they don't have any children. Kuronue gives the excuse that they will be crossbreeds, but Misao says that isn't a factor worth considering. I suppose it's a woman thing, but she has these maternal instincts that even I admire, so I can see where she would want a child to take care of and raise. But Kuronue won't hear it... He's all about pleasure and self- satisfaction these days... To tell you the truth, if he lost Misao I don't think he'd care. The same may go for her, even... I've never seen her look at another youkai, but there's a part of her, I can tell, that is searching for more."  
  
Kohana glanced up at the youko. "What do you mean, 'more'?"  
  
"Well, for starters, children," he remarked quietly. "And love. Genuinely love with no strings attached."  
  
"'Strings', huh?"  
  
"Sex."  
  
"I know, I'm more intelligent than you give me credit for, Kurama."  
  
"I see it in your eyes, of course I know."  
  
Kohana felt blood rush into her face and she did not reply. The four kept walking in silence, Kuronue and Misao leading the way, Kohana and Kurama a few feets behind them. The silence didn't last long, and soon it was broken up by the sounds of clanking metal, crackling fires and boisterous voices.  
  
Kurama smiled. "We're near the camp."  
  
"The demon hunters!" Misao kept close behind Kuronue as the four of them moved into the bushes near the edge of the camp.  
  
The hunters were just settling down to dinner. Weapons lay discarded in heaps near the mouths of tents while their owns dined on what little food the woods had to offer them, mostly skinned squirrels and birds and other small animals, along with what non-poisonous plants could be found in the area.  
  
"All off their guard. Perfect," Kurama muttered before slipping silently away around the edge of the camp, carefully hiding himself behind the foliage as he went.  
  
"This'll be easy..." Kuronue floated away to the opposite edge, leaving Misao and Kohana huddled together in a bush dotted with small pink flowers.  
  
"Wait a minute... What do I do?" Kohana whispered.  
  
"My advice is not to pick a fight right away on your first raid. Let the boys handle that. Go for any money or jewelry they may have on them, and weapons if they're good." Misao gave Kohana's shoulder a reassuring squeeze and scampered away in the direction of Kuronue's departure.  
  
"To make a long story short, go for anything shiny," Kohana told herself, taking in a sharp, nervous breath. For a moment she felt strange, like she didn't belong her. She was almost sure she didn't belong here... What was she doing here? And when did she get here? For a brief moment the thought that she should be doing something else crossed her mind. Then it was gone, carried away by the soft breeze that now rustled the leaves around her.  
  
Shaking off the feeling, she continued her survey of the camp. Her gaze fell on a small group huddled around a fire close by. There were two very beefy-looking youkai, accompanied by two smaller ones, one taller than the other. The taller one had dark green hair cut just above his shoulders. He glanced at the smaller hunter beside him, revealing a pair of startlingly bright orange eyes to Kohana's attention. The smaller hunter said something to the taller one, nodded, then went back to eating from a bowl of noodles set in his lap. This hunter's hair was black as ink and tied into at the back of his head into a short ponytail that stuck out like a short sprig of wheat. His eyes were a soft lavender, and there was an aura of gentleness about him.  
  
Kohana's eyes widened and her breathe caught in her throat once more. Both of them looked familiar... Green hair, orange eyes... Black hair... lavender eyes? Could they really be...?  
  
Someone tapped the kitsune on the shoulder. "Looking for something?"  
  
Kohana turned around. An unfamiliar pair of pale blue eyes met hers, and she yelped in surprise.  
  
"ROSE WHIP!"  
  
She slashed at her sudden visitor across the chest and jumped back, exposing herself to the entire camp of hunters behind her. All activity and voices stopped, allowing the sound of the crackling fires to permeate the air. Kohana glanced briefly at the man on the ground... reddish-brown hair and a muscular yet lithe physique... then turned around to face the band of youkai hunters.  
  
"Um... Hey there."  
  
What followed next happened so fast, it was almost dreamlike to Kohana. There were two loud yells, and Kuronue and Kurama came crashing into the camp, causing many of the hunters to scurry for their weapons. Misao dashed past Kohana and into the one of the tents, only to re-emerge seconds later with a few goods in her arms and steal into another tent. Kohana looked back at the person she attacked, and prepared to run just as the boy with short black hair jumped into her way.  
  
"Jekku! What did you do to Jekku?!"  
  
"...Jekku?" Kohana looked back. The young man named Jekku was sitting up, dabbing at the slash across his chest with two fingers. He turned his surprised eyes onto her face and both kitsune and human froze on the spot.  
  
A memory was jostled out of place and into the vanguard of Kohana's mind. She was here to save her parents, her mother and...  
  
"...My father!" she cried, then sped off in the opposite direction, trying hard to push back the tears that began to fill her eyes. Jekku... Jekku Tomoe... She had attacked her own father...  
  
Touhin ran to his friend's side and helped him to his feet. Jekku shook his head rapidly and scratched the back of his neck.  
  
"Come on, let's go get you cleaned up. That was... strange, Jekku-san..."  
  
"Yeah..." Jekku said, staring blankly after Kohana as she sprinted away. "Strange..."  
  
A hunter threw himself at Kohana as she ran by one of the tents. She jumped into the air, only to have the hunter grab her around the legs and bring her down. She rolled off to one side and kicked out, striking her attacker in the face. Reaching out, her fingers closed around the hilt of a long, silver sword, and without hesitation she swung her body around on the ground, pivoting on her bottom, and brought the blade down onto the hunter's neck. "One down..." she said triumphantly to herself as she sprang to her feet and kept running, her rose whip in one hand, the sword in the other.  
  
Rounding another corner, two more hunters ran at her, but she was ready. The kitsune spun herself around in a complete circle, striking both attackers with both weapons. They fell to ground and she continued to run, exhilarated by her battle skills.  
  
"Misao?" she called out. "Misao! Where are you?!"  
  
"Here!" came a cry somewhere to her left. Misao was fending off a hunter with a club in front of one of the tents, and he seemed to be overpowering her.  
  
"I've got you!" Kohana cried as she launched herself at her friend's attacker. "Get the good stuff, I've got your back!"  
  
"Thank you!" Misao called over her shoulder as the younger kitsune engaged herself in battle with the hunter, leaving her free to duck inside the tent. Once inside she quickly rummaged through the blankets, pillows and other things inside of it, searching for any gold or jewels that would be of value to her little band of thieves...  
  
"Let me just get my sword.... Whaaa?!"  
  
Misao spun around; the owner of the tent had come back. Now Jekku Tomoe stood over her, a baffled expression on his face. His head tilted slowly to one side and he asked innocently, "Can I help you?"  
  
Misao found no answer. The two stood still as stone, eyes locked on each other, the sounds of battle drifting farther and farther away as they sank deeper and deeper into their own little world. Misao shrank back, nearly tripping over the sword that was laying on the floor in the center of the tent.  
  
"O-oh, don't worry! I... I'm not going to hurt you..." Jekku motioned to the mouth of the tent. "It's... pretty rough out there. I can imagine why you sought refuge in here. My tent is pretty... comfortable." He grinned shyly. "You're one of those thieves, I take it?"  
  
Misao nodded silently.  
  
"Ah, well... And a kitsune youko, I see." He pointed to her ears.  
  
She nodded again.  
  
"Well, then... I'm horrible at making conversation."  
  
Misao giggled. "O-oh no..."  
  
Jekku's pale eyes brightened up and his grin widened. "She speaks!"  
  
This caused Misao to giggle again.  
  
"You find me amusing?"  
  
Misao nodded. "Very!"  
  
"Ah, well... I'm flattered.... But, perhaps you should get back to your friends out there. They might need help carrying stuff outta here..."  
  
"...Yes." After a moment's hesitation Misao moved back towards the mouth of the tent.  
  
"Sorry I didn't have anything to your liking... um... What did you say your name was?"  
  
The kitsune looked back at him.  
  
"Actually, you never told me your name at all," Jekku corrected. "What might it be?"  
  
"Misao."  
  
"Misao... Pretty."  
  
"And yours?"  
  
"Jekku. Jekku Tomoe."  
  
"Nice meeting you... Jekku."  
  
"Perhaps we shall meet again? Your bounty may be assigned to me, who knows!"  
  
The morbidity of the statement did nothing to penetrate the aura of dazed happiness that had surrounded Misao, and she laughed again. "Perhaps." Then without another word she slipped out of the tent and back into the battle outside.  
  
Kohana and Kuronue were waiting for her a few yards away, both cradling several shiny items in their arms. "What took you so long in there?" Kuronue asked impatiently as Misao caught up with them.  
  
"Oh... something."  
  
"Something?"  
  
The three of them sped towards the edge of the camp and kept running, dodging the attacks flung at them by the hunters around them. They were quite some distance from the camp when Kurama finally caught up with them, carrying an infinitely greater amount of pillaged treasure than they did.  
  
"What took YOU so long?" Misao asked, avoiding Kuronue's eyes as he tried to make contact with hers, hinting at another round of interrogation.  
  
"I was a bit...worried."  
  
"Worried?"  
  
"Yes, I... didn't see YOU anywhere," he replied, jerking his head in Kohana's direction as they continued to run. "I thought you had been hacked up or something already..."  
  
Despite the blush that rose in her face, Kohana frowned. "Do you really doubt me that much?"  
  
Kurama studied her for a moment, then focused on the path through the woods ahead of them. "No. Not really... No." 


	17. Chapter 16 What Could Happen

Yaaaaay, next chapter! Things are starting to heat up in Kokitsune now, so pay close attention and remember what you've read, my lovely readers!   
  
-Lex-  
  
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Chapter 16: What Could Happen  
  
"Chit-chan?"  
  
The golden-haired girl answered without opening her eyes, "Who's calling me?"  
  
"Oh, damnit... Don't tell me you've forgotten me already... Forgotten US already..."  
  
Chitsuko let out a sleepy moan and forced her body to move. Her limbs ached and they twitched with sudden spasms. It felt as though the girl hadn't used her body in a long, long time...  
  
She sat up, passing a hand in front of her own face and holding it there, as though she were looking at her slender and worn fingers and palm for the first time. "Where am I... Why do I feel so strange?"  
  
"The last thing Genkai said was that your human body was dormant within your demon one." A familiar grinning boy with a mass of limp black hair peered down at her. He offered her a hand. "That would explain it."  
  
"Yusuke?!" Chitsuko took the Spirit Detective's hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet. She wobbled forward and nearly fell, bracing herself against the boy's side. "But I thought you were...?"  
  
"Sick, I know. I am. We all are." His expression changed to a grin one. "I was sent here to check up on you."  
  
"'Here'?"  
  
"Your dreams. Karasu wasn't up to the job."  
  
Chitsuko hazy blue-gray eyes widened. "Don't tell me he..."  
  
"Not yet. But everyone's doing pretty badly."  
  
"How were you able to get here?"  
  
"I'm one of the few who have any strength left to do such things. I do feel kinda weak right now... It's only a matter of days before my spirit starts to feel the affects of the disease too."  
  
"Yusuke...!"  
  
"Hey, it's alright, Chit-chan..." The boy reached up to wipe away a few tears with the joint of his index finger. "We're all still behind you, conscious or not." He made the effort to smile again. "I can't stay. Like I said, just wanted to check up on you..."  
  
The girl smiled. "Thank you, Yusuke-kun. I... I appreciate it..."  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
"WAKE UP!"  
  
"AIIII I'M UP I'M UP I'M UP!" Kohana leapt to her feet, the blankets that had been covering her falling to the floor in a rumpled heap.  
  
"Good." Kuronue leaned against the doorway, an emotionless expression on his sharp face. "I'm hungry."  
  
"...And?"  
  
"Make yourself useful and cook something will you?"  
  
Kohana blinked. "No."  
  
The chimera rolled his eyes. "You're useless..."  
  
"And you're a lazy ass. Don't you have a girlfriend to do these sort of things for you?"  
  
Kuronue went silent and abandoned his tough-guy stance for the moment. He settled one hand on the doorframe and his eyes dropped to the floor. "She's not here."  
  
"Well she must be there, then. ...Wherever 'there' may be." Kohana was in no mood to take orders first thing in the morning. She was even more miffed at the fact that Kuronue had dragged her out of such a desperate dream. Yusuke had come to check up on her? Surely that would mean they were all worried about her... But had something gone wrong in the future?  
  
"I need to hurry then..." Kohana mumbled aloud to herself.  
  
"Damn right you do," Kuronue replied and exited the girls' bedroom.  
  
Kohana stared after him for a moment, and then her knees buckled beneath her and she slid to the floor, feeling hopelessly lost. She had almost forgotten what she had been sent to the past to do! Her job was to destroy Sanshi and save her friends from the Shadow Sickness that had plagued them. But now here she was, caught in the worst mess she could possibly have imagined getting into...  
  
How was she supposed to continue like this without giving away her identity, with her true parents, her future boyfriend, and one of her future best friends lurking so close to her?  
  
Not to mention two of the most evil people she had ever had to face...  
  
Her mind focused on them for a moment: Touhin Zoutarou and Yokozuki Guukan. They looked innocent enough in their younger ages... But then how did they manage to become so evil in the future? Kohana was almost positive that she would find out sooner or later, and the thought caused her to shudden with fearful anticipation.  
  
"Are you cold?"  
  
Kohana looked up into the golden eyes of Youko Kurama.  
  
"No, I'm fine."  
  
The youko handed down to her what looked like a large, yellow fruit. It was soft and spongy to the touch, with a sweet citrus smell emanating from it.  
  
"Go on," Kurama urged gently as he sat down cross-legged in front of her. "It's not poisoned. You need to eat if you're going to stay strong enough to keep up with us."  
  
The female kitsune nodded gratefully, and took a small, delicate bite. It was delicious, a flavor that she hadn't had the pleasure of tasting before. She swallowed, and took two more huge bites. Juice ran down her chin and she scrambled to wipe it off her face with the back of her hand before Kurama could notice.  
  
But the youko had. He chuckled to himself, then took a bite of his own fruit. "You act as though you've never tasted it before."  
  
"I haven't."  
  
Kurama raised an eyebrow. "Surely if you've lived in Makai, you've at least seen them before."  
  
Busted, Kohana thought. She didn't answer and continued to eat, hoping he'd drop the subject.  
  
Kurama gulped down the rest of his fruit in three bites, then proceeded to lick the juice off his fingers. "You'll have to excuse Kuronue."  
  
Kohana, who had finished only half of her fruit, looked up at him.  
  
"Man PMS."  
  
The female raised an eyebrow.  
  
"He's always uptight about Misao these days. I suppose he's afraid of losing her."  
  
Kohana stared at the floor.  
  
"But hey, if it wasn't meant to be, it wasn't meant to be... I just can't imagine what would happen if they ever called it off. They've been together for... oh, Inari knows how long. It would be strange to have them... not together."  
  
"...I can imagine..." She went back to nibbling her fruit.  
  
Kurama stared at her for a long moment. There was something strange about her. She felt almost... human. But that couldn't be right. She had the ears, the tail, the aura, the power... How could she be human? Unless...  
  
"So, tell me about yourself."  
  
Kohana looked up. "Hmm?"  
  
"Tell me about yourself." Youko rested his elbows on his knees and his chin in his hands. "Your family, where you come from... Talk."  
  
"Well..." Kohana set the rest of the unfinished fruit in her lap. "I'm... from Makai."  
  
"From what province?"  
  
"I... Umm... The... forested region."  
  
"There are lots of forests in Makai."  
  
"Well... It's hard to keep track of them all!" Kohana picked up the fruit and popped the rest in her mouth, wiping the juice off her chin with delicate fingers.  
  
"You're not all demon."  
  
"Well of course I..." Kohana paused and the rest of her confidence flew out the door of the den. "I... well..."  
  
Kurama grinned, his eyes wide. "You're a hanyou."  
  
The hanyou did not answer.  
  
"That's strange..." Kurama reached out to brush a few pale golden strands out of Kohana's eyes. "Your power is strong for that of a hanyou..." He paused, letting his fingers brush against her pale cheek, which was now starting to color slightly. "I wonder..."  
  
Kohana didn't move. "Are you going to pester me about it now? Scorn me? Throw me out? Kill me?"  
  
Kurama seemed to take offense at this, and he recoiled quickly. "Nothing of the sort." He stood up. "Come on, we've got work to do."  
  
Kohana watched him go and sighed inwardly. If anyone knows how to ruin the moment, you do, she thought to herself.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
Misao stretched out her lithe body on the thick tree branch, enjoying the warm feeling of the sun on her skin. She let out a small yawn and turned onto her side, letting one arm dangle in midair. Her was whirling with thoughts of the boy she had met the day before. Jekku Tomoe, he had said his name was. His presence felt oddly out of place with the rest of the youkai hunters. He felt almost... human. Misao could feel that he had a good heart beating his chest, and his aura had no trace of evil or misguidance within it at all. But then what was he doing with such a rowdy and ruthless band of demon hunters?  
  
Leaves crunched on the forest floor beneath her, and she peered down at the familiar female kitsune as she walked under the branch where she lay.  
  
"Kohana-chan!"  
  
Kohana looked up and smiled when she saw her. "Misao-chan, what are you doing up there?"  
  
"Sunbathing," she replied as she slid off the branch and landed nimbly on her feet beside Kohana.  
  
"A crowded forest is hardly a place to sunbathe."  
  
Misao shrugged and smiled. "There's nothing to do but rest and eat, anyway."  
  
"Kurama said we had work to do."  
  
"Oh, that's just his way of telling you get off your ass and find something to do." There was a glint in Misao's eye as she grabbed the younger kitsune's wrist. "Spend the day with me! We'll forget about the guys and be girly. We can entreat ourselves the way I hear some ningen women do!"  
  
Kohana's heart beat faster inside of her. Here she was, over five hundred years into Makai's past, standing beside her long-dead mother. A smile crept over her face as she marveled her mother's innocence and sunny disposition. "Well... I suppose it couldn't hurt..."  
  
"Alright then! Let's go!" Misao tugged Kohana off in the direction of the rising sun, squealing with laughter as they ran.  
  
"But what about the boys?" Kohana asked, glancing backwards at the den receding into the distance.  
  
"Oh, if they somehow manage to kill themselves off while we're gone, it's their fault entirely. Now come, forget them!"  
  
And for the rest of the day, Kohana did.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
"Are you sure they're den is somewhere around here?"  
  
"Yes. I'm positive."  
  
Yokozuki's orange eyes flashed as he and Touhin made their way through the underbrush of the forest. Touhin crept closely behind his friend, his sword drawn already, lavendar eyes darting wildly about his head in mute panic and fear of an attack.  
  
"Calm yourself, Touhin," Yokozuki whispered, then glanced backwards. "Jekku... Jekku, where the hell have you gotten off to again?!"  
  
The human popped up in front of him, pale blue eyes alight. "I'm here!"  
  
Both Yokozuki and Touhin leapt off the ground with a shout of surprise.  
  
Jekku laughed. "Somebody's edgy today..."  
  
"Do you want to get those weapons back for Sanshi-sama or not?" Touhin inquired, shooting a hopeless look in his friend's direction.  
  
"Actually, no. I'm just kinda hungry..."  
  
"We can eat later." Yokozuki grabbed Jekku's sleeve and dragged him under the cover of several low hanging willow branches as they continued their walk.  
  
Suddenly Touhin stiffened, his gaze slipping through the cover of the willow. "There!" He whispered, pointing to the other side.  
  
Yokozuki and Jekku peered through the gaps in the branches at the two demons making their way across the forest. Youko Kurama and Kuronue seemed to be arguing about something, the chimera gesticulating wildly while the kitsune stared calmly ahead, his arms straight at his sides.  
  
"It's no wonder Misao is looking elsewhere, you've got nothing but flesh on your brain," Kurama was saying.  
  
"Oh, come off it!" Kuronue yelled. "Don't think I haven't seen the way you've looked at her!"  
  
"And how is that?"  
  
"Oh, you want her. You waaaaant her..." Kuronue chortled. "I swear, the first time the two of you set eyes on each other..."  
  
"That's enough."  
  
Kuronue halted in his tracks, but Kurama kept walking, as resolutely as always. The chimera cocked his head to one side and said, more solemnly, "I was right, wasn't I?"  
  
Kurama stopped walking.  
  
"Now!" Yokozuki whispered fiercely, and both he and Touhin crashed through the willow branches and ran full-speed at their opponents. Jekku calmly pushed the branches aside and stepped through, not eager to fight, but more interested it watching.  
  
Kurama and Kuronue reacted with lightning speed. Both men drew their weapons and were engaged in battle before Jekku could draw a breath of surprise.  
  
"Where are the weapons you have stolen from us?" roared Yokozuki as he lashed out at Kurama.  
  
"They're not your weapons anymore!" Kurama cried, bringing his whip close enough to the young man's face to open a small cut.  
  
Meanwhile, Touhin seemed no match for Kuronue. He struggled with his sword, and the chimera was having great fun teasing the boy, bringing his scythe within inches of the boy's body, and then skittering away, leaving Touhin in a cold sweat and shuddering state of panic.  
  
"You guys, they were just weapons. We can always make new ones..." Jekku started, then stopped as two familiar faces appeared in the trees across from the battle.  
  
The sun had begun to set, and now its last slanting rays outline the two female fox demons with stunning clarity. One was shorter than the other, obviously younger, and both had long golden hair and gray eyes, although the younger's was paler and her eyes were more silvery than gray.  
  
"Misao!" Jekku called, just as Yokozuki turned and caught the woman's gaze.  
  
The orange-eyed demon grinned and bore down on her with his sword. "Die woman!"  
  
"Mama!" Kohana cried, unaware of the words that left her mouth, and pushed Misao out of the way just as Yokozuki's sword sliced through the skin on her right arm. Blood trickled where the skin had been torn off, and a small amount of muscle was exposed to the air.  
  
Yokozuki had aimed to kill.  
  
"MISAO!" Kuronue immediately turned on Yokozuki, while Kurama prepared to attack the hunter from behind. While Yokozuki defended himself as best as he could from two demons at once, Jekku took the chance to close the gap between him and Misao, grab the woman's wrist, and make a run for it into the trees with her beside him. She followed willingly, and as they disappeared into the woods Touhin ran a few steps after them.  
  
"Jekku-san! JEKKU-SAN!" he called, then gave up, turning around to face the younger kitsune on the ground. His eyes widened slightly. "You're hurt badly..."  
  
Kohana grunted and hauled herself onto her hands and knees. "I'll live."  
  
To her surprise, the black-haired boy came to her side and helped her into a kneeling position. He was equal to her in height, and there was a frightened yet innocent look in his lavender eyes. He placed one hand on her wound and a soft glow emitted from his hand. A tingling sensation crept over her arm.  
  
"What are you...?"  
  
"Healing you," he replied calmly. He looked into her face. "You didn't mean to hurt Jekku-san before, did you?"  
  
"No, I... No, I didn't. He just... surprised me. I was nervous."  
  
"But you are a thief."  
  
"That was my first raid."  
  
Touhin's eyes widened. "Then you are an amateur thief."  
  
Kohana nodded. "Who might you be?" She regretted asking the question a little too late. She already knew the answer.  
  
"Touhin. Touhin Zoutarou." He smiled at her.  
  
Kohana felt her stomach clench deep within her and she shuddered, feeling as though she would wretch her last meal into her future enemy's face.  
  
He looked at her oddly, sensing her discomfort. "Are you alright?"  
  
"Yes..."  
  
"What are you called?"  
  
"Kohana." She paused for a moment, then added with a gentle flourish, "Hanyou Kohana."  
  
The boy's eyes widened. "A half-breed!" he murmured.  
  
"Yeah..." Kohana rolled her eyes, then looked back at him, her fear melting away temporarily.  
  
Touhin's cheeks turned pink as he met her gaze. "Well, Hanyou Kohana, your wound is healed."  
  
She flexed her arm. Sure enough, there was nothing left of the gash but a thin scar and a soft ache. "Thank you, Zouta.... Err... Touhin," she fumbled.  
  
He nodded. "Just please be careful around my friend. Yokozuki is a bit... quick to act, that's all. He's nice sometimes... just not when he's being sarcastic and cynical... But he is funny! Sometimes..."  
  
Kohana could only nod as she watched the boy in front of her ramble on. How could this sweet young man grow up to be the cold-hearted, bloodlust-driven Zoutarou of the future?  
  
Suddenly the boy let out a yelp. Kurama had picked up him by the back of his shirt and was holding him at eye-level. "Have you harmed her?"  
  
"No!" Touhin squeaked.  
  
"Good." The youko dropped him. "Now leave."  
  
The young boy scampered off in the direction Jekku and Misao had run.  
  
Kohana did not object as she stood up, watching Touhin run away. "Where's Yokozuki?"  
  
"He went... somewhere. We taught him a lesson," Kurama said with a wry grin.  
  
Kuronue wandered a few steps towards the cluster of trees. "Where's Misao?"  
  
Kurama looked blank. "I didn't know I was supposed to keep an eye on her." He looked to Kohana. "Did you see where she ran off to?"  
  
"...No," Kohana lied, staring off into the forest, her eyes glazed over and her heart pounding, knowing exactly what could be happening at this moment. "I didn't." 


	18. Chapter 17 Wisdom

Well, it's been a while, hasn't it? ;; Less than a month until school starts up again... Let's finish this, shall we? ;D  
  
All of you and myself have Kia-chan to thank: She gave me infinite inspiration for this chapter and ALSO killed my writer's block! Te adoro, Kia-chan! Thanks bunches and bunches.   
  
And to all Densetsu no Kagami readers: You're in for a surprise! ==  
  
Mood Music: "Garden of the Gods" from Chrono Cross

* * *

Chapter 17: Wisdom  
  
For days after the fight, there was a noticeable change in everyone.  
  
Misao had taken to waking up early and disappearing for hours at a time, sometimes the entire day. She would return would a broad smile on her face, humming like a songbird with her ears twitching happily to and fro. She would settle herself to a quiet task such as mending clothes or weaving bracelets and necklaces from grasses and flowers, and retire to bed without saying goodnight. Often times she didn't come home until the moon was already at its apex in the sky, and there were a few occasions where she did not come home at all that night.  
  
Kuronue, noticing the growing distance between Misao and himself, had seemed to either give up or begun to feel rejected. He would spend most of him time either alone or with Kohana, escorting her on one of her many runs through the forest to collect food and plants to serve their medicinal needs. The chimera seemed strained, and when Kohana would ask him about his disposition he would snap at her or not answer at all. He gave up trying to lure Misao into bed with him; she would give the excuse that she was tired or felt ill, and skip off to the room she shared with Kohana.  
  
Kurama had begun to keep careful watch on Kohana, when he wasn't scheming the group's next burglary. The only time the girl could ever escape his gaze was when she managed to slip unnoticed into the forest, sometimes with Kuronue's help, many times without. Even though the chimera was good company, the kitsune felt slightly uncomfortable being alone with him. In conjured up memories that belong hundreds of years ahead of time, of flying over mountains, flinging mud, and sitting on rooftops under starry skies. But that was Chitsuko's Kuronue. This Kuronue belonged to another era, another state of mind... He hadn't changed yet, and Kohana had to keep reminding herself of that.

* * *

There came a morning that was so chilly and damp that it was almost impossible to breathe the seemingly waterlogged air. The sunlight barely filtered through the heavy clouds that completely blotted out the normally blue sky. The entire world was dark, and everything had turned a muted, grayish shade of its normal vibrant color. The forest was empty, save for a few birds that poked the ground in search for worms and hopped sluggishly from branch to branch in the treetops. While the others tried to gain a few more hours sleep, Kohana quietly kicked off her blankets and slipped out into the dismal world outside.  
  
She went barefoot, the coolness of the earth comforting to the roughened soles of her feet. The kitsune hadn't bothered to grab a shawl or cloak on her way out, and she welcomed the soft chill that now nipped at her bare limbs. As she wandered into the woods and away from the den, her thoughts turned to things more morbid than the atmosphere around her.  
  
She thought of Chitsuko Ichihara, her human form, lying still and quiet inside the body she now walked in. It was a strange feeling, to know that another person, another part of you, was hidden somewhere deep inside yourself, waiting to be released again...  
  
Kohana ceased her walk and surveyed her surroundings. She was at the edge of a lake, its surface iced with a soft gray mist that rolled onto the bank and billowed into the air like small thunderclouds. She did not move, letting her arms and legs go stiff in mid-step, allowing only her hair to be blown by the slight breeze. For a moment the hanyou thought she felt something stir deep within her, heard her human heart hammering away in a human ribcage that now felt foreign to her mind.  
  
"You're silly." Kohana scolded herself aloud and made her way to the bank, kneeling and bringing a dripping handful of water to her lips. The water, unlike the air, tasted clear, and she eagerly took another drink. "You are Chitsuko and Chitsuko is you," she told her reflection in the water's surface. "The way you've been acting, you'd think you had eaten her or something..."  
  
"Eaten who?"  
  
Kuronue's form appeared next to her own reflection, and Kohana laughed nervously.  
  
"Oh, n-no one..."  
  
"If it's human..." the chimera sat down beside her, crossing his legs and settling his hands on his knees, "...then I don't know what you see in them. They don't taste nearly as good as some people make them out to..."  
  
"Oh, I don't eat humans! Why would I eat humans?"  
  
"Because most demons do."  
  
Kohana looked blankly at Kuronue. The chimera raised and eyebrow and regarded her with a wary look.  
  
"You should know this..."  
  
"I'm sorry, I'm a...vegetarian." Immediately after the words had left her mouth, Kohana slapped a hand to her face.  
  
Kuronue did not answer, but simply nodded and directed his eyes to the lake. For a long while the two sat in silence, watching the mist roll over the water's glassy surface. Kohana pulled blades of grass out of the ground one by one, picking them apart and throwing their ripped shreds to the breeze.  
  
"She's with him."  
  
Unfazed, Kohana turned to the chimera. "What?"  
  
"Misao is with Jekku." Kuronue's eyes were fixed on something across the lake. When Kohana looked to see what it was, she saw only trees. "She's found a better man than I..."  
  
The kitsune bit her lip anxiously. She had never heard Kuronue talk like this, let alone look so distant and blank. Hesitantly, she reached out and laid a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry Kuro-kun..."  
  
He shrugged. "It's not for me to decide who she loves. But I know it in my heart that it isn't me..."  
  
"You really love her, don't you?"  
  
Kuronue glanced sideways at the hanyou. "Love?"  
  
"Yes... You DO know what love is, don't you?"  
  
The chimera looked away. "What I felt my Misao was not strong enough to keep her with me, and therefore nothing remotely close to love."  
  
"...I'm sorry..."  
  
"Have you ever loved someone?"  
  
The question took Kohana off-guard. An image flashed in her mind: A long hallway, its walls lined with mirrors. A young girl clad in only a tattered nightdress, her golden-brown hair streaming behind her as she ran into the arms of a redhead with stunningly clear green eyes, kneeling on a marble floor streaked with blood...

* * *

_"Kurama!" The girl flung herself into the boy's arms, sobbing hysterically. The boy embraced her tightly, letting the girl's soft hair tickle his face as he bowed his head against her own.  
  
"You're alive..." His words were barely a whisper.  
  
"Just barely," the girl murmured as she raised her face to his.  
  
The boy leaned in and kissed her cheek where a particularly large tear had fallen. "I thought I was going to lose you..."_

* * *

"...Kohana?" The chimera poked the hanyou again.  
  
The kitsune started from her daydream and rubbed fiercely at her eyes. "Oh, I-I'm sorry..." She stood up quickly, brushing dirt off her dress and glancing back towards the trees. "I'm sorry, I... I need to go."  
  
"But..."  
  
"I need to go!" she almost screamed back at him. Then she turned on her heels and fled into the trees, leaving a very bewildered chimera at the lake's edge.  
  
Kohana ran until her legs ached and her lungs burned. After running for what seemed like hours she let herself slow to a walk in a grove of cherry trees. Just beyond their branches she could see a temple rising out of the morning mist. Its walls were made of stone that looked to have once been white, worn by the wind and spotted with moss due to ages of nonuse. Ivy climbed up stone columns and the stone walkway leading up to its massive doors was overgrown with weeds.  
  
The kitsune wandered through the trees until she was only a foot away from the walkway's beginning. She paused for a moment, then took small, careful steps until she was standing on the first of the gray stones that paved the way to the temple doors. The building was massive, perhaps a temple to a long forgotten diety. Or maybe one that guarded a special and secret kind of treasure...  
  
"Are you lost?"  
  
The voice was light and soft, and took the hanyou off guard. She whirled around, half expecting to be attacked. But even though she wasn't, her heart did not cease its pounding when she beheld the figure before her.  
  
It was a young woman, clad in a silky white gown that seemed to float around her slender figure. Her hair was a dark brown and trailed down her back, with bangs hanging slightly in the way of two sapphire-colored eyes. Her hands were tangled in her tresses, slowly plaiting them into a single long braid. Her skin was pale and her figure gave off a soft glow, like stifled moonlight.  
  
She smiled warmly at the kitsune and asked again, "Are you lost?"  
  
"O-Oh, no... I'm fine." Kohana glanced at the temple behind her. "What is this place?"  
  
"A temple, of sorts," the woman replied, stepping lightly over to the kitsune. Her gaze traveled up the building's height. "It was once a holy place, where both demons and humans lost in Makai came to pray and seek spiritual strength and shelter. But there was a terrible battle here long ago, and ever since then the place has been deserted." She continued to braid her long hair. "Some say that, because of its disuse, may a thief and jealous lord have hidden their treasures of beauty and power within its walls. I for one think that's a pretty nice story." She let out a soft giggle.  
  
Kohana turned her silver eyes to the woman for a brief moment, then glanced back at the temple.  
  
The woman leaned in close to the kitsune and whispered, "An ideal place for a thief to delve around, no?"  
  
Kohana started and pulled back from her. "You know..."  
  
"Oh, I know who you are, Hanyou Kohana." Her smiled never faltered, and she bowed gracefully. "I am Hiketsu. It's a pleasure to be in your presence."  
  
"Hiketsu..." Kohana murmured. "It's... nice to meet you too... Say, what are you doing all the way out here? You don't exactly look dressed to be wandered around the Makai wilderness..."  
  
"Oh, well, that's exactly what I'm doing. Wandering." Hiketsu unwound a white ribbon from around her wrist and tied it securely at the end of her braid. Then she let her braid go and spun around once, admiring her work. After a moment of silence in which the woman tucked a few stray hairs behind her ears and smoothed her dress, she turned her bright eyes back on the hanyou. "I don't have to ask you what you are doing, because I know what you are doing."  
  
Kohana had no reply. She simply stared up into the woman's face as she crossed to her once more and put her hands comfortingly on her shoulders. Her touch was gentle, and a soft warmth radiated from her body. When she spoke, it was as though hundreds of years of wisdom and were flooding into the kitsune's ears, reaching out to her across ages of forgotten history...  
  
"Things will happen when they are destined to be, Hanyou Kohana. There are some things you can change, but many others you cannot. You must bear all pain and sorrow with the anticipation of future joy and happiness. You cannot let things bring your spirits down. Once you falter, than all hope is lost." Hiketsu lifted one hand and placed her fingers gently under Kohana's chin, directing the hanyou's gaze into her own. "Within you lies strength and courage born from your love and unwavering will. You must use that power to fight, and whatever happens, you must not give up." She shook her head gently, her eyes never leaving Kohana's. "Don't give up. Not yet."  
  
Hiketsu moved her hand once more to brush a few golden strands off Kohana's face, then trail her fingers affectionately down her cheek. "And just when you think it is time to give up, you will find another reason to keep going..." The woman now moved her hand to press her palm directly over the kitsune's heart. "There are people who need you, who love you... They will not see you falter. And neither should you."  
  
"I..." Kohana could not speak. Several tears spilled from her eyes and made wet paths down her cheeks.  
  
Hiketsu gently wiped away the tears with her fingers, then took Kohana's hands in hers. "Don't you dare give up..."  
  
Kohana bowed her head and rubbed her eyes, pressing back the second wave of tears that now flooded her vision. "Hiketsu..." she sobbed quietly, then raised her eyes to look up at the woman once more.  
  
She was gone.  
  
For a brief moment Kohana felt the warmth of the woman's presence envelop here, her heart pounding as she felt her twinkling sapphire eyes on her once more... Then the feeling was gone, and Kohana was left cold and alone, staring up at the abandoned temple.  
  
Kohana delicately held a hand over her heart where she had felt the woman's comforting touch only moment ago. "Hiketsu..." she whispered to the still air.  
  
The silence reassured the hanyou that she was indeed alone.

* * *

Kohana's walk back through the forest was a somber one. While she let her feet do all the thinking for her, her mind wandered to what had happened outside the temple. Every few moments her hand would stray to her cheek or her chest, trying to recall the feeling that shot through her body at the woman's touch.  
  
"Hiketsu..." she murmured, her gaze dragging along the ground before her. The name sounded familiar. Where had she heard it before? And how did the woman know her name? And more importantly... Did she know why Kohana was there? Maybe she was an Reikai agent come to check on her progress... She sighed, remembering the perilous task that lay waiting for her in the near future...  
  
The demise of Sanshi.  
  
By the time she had meandered her way back to the thieves' den, Kohana felt she no longer had the energy to stand on her own two feet. Rather clumsily she slid herself through the den's opening and sat dejectedly on the dirt floor. A bowl of fruit was set down within reach of the kitsune's arm, but all desire to eat or drink had left her that morning. She glanced around, and, seeing that the den was empty and she was alone, let out a long, saddened sigh.  
  
Kohana didn't notice Kurama as he crawled through the hole that served as a doorway between the main living space and the hallway. The youko took one look at the hanyou's forlorn expression and froze in his tracks.  
  
"Kohana?"  
  
Kohana looked up with a start and let out a small gasp. "I didn't think anyone was home..."  
  
"Misao and Kuronue are Inari-knows-where doing Inari-knows-what." He crossed and sank to his knees in front of her. "I just woke up, myself. Haven't much reason to get out of bed so early unless there's a new treasure that's just dying to be coveted... What is it?"  
  
As the youko had begun to chatter away, Kohana's heart had taken on the full heaviness of her mission. Memories of her life in what would be the future... what might be in danger if she didn't take action soon... came back in such violent floods that hot tears poured from her eyes and fell on her white dress. She folded her hands in her lap and bowed her head, unable to look at Kurama.  
  
"Kohana..." he breathed, his expression softening to one of compassion. Settling his hands on his knees, he gazed down at the girl while she sobbed quietly into her lap. "Why are you crying? Does this have anything to do with why you're here?"  
  
"I... I can't do it..."  
  
"Can't do what?" Kurama, desperate now to cheer her, reached down and tilted her chin up so their eyes met. "What can't you do?"  
  
Kohana pained expression brought an unfamiliar stinging sensation to his chest. Without considering what he was doing, Kurama reached round her and pulled the hanyou tightly against his chest.  
  
"Don't cry. I don't like seeing you cry."  
  
Kohana's breath caught in her throat, and immediately her sobbing ceased. His voice was calm, soothing. "I'm sorry..." she choked out, reaching her arms out to hug him in return.  
  
In that moment Hiketsu's words came flooding back to her, and there, clinging to Kurama for dear life, Kohana made her decision.  
  
For Kurama, for her friends, for every life that was at stake...  
  
It was time to take action.  
  
Before it was too late. 


	19. Chapter 18 Conceived

Oh. My. GOD. HOW long has it been?!?! TOO LONG!!

Thank you to each and every person who read and reviewed my stories, especially this one, and pushed me to continue. I've been extremely busy with school and rehearsals and all that crap that comes with Life, and unfortunately have not had time to play around with my master passion: writing. It has come to my attention that I have not updated this story since July of last year. And all I can say is… I am disappointed in myself.

BUT, I am BACK, and I INTEND TO FINISH THIS STORY. It was –never- abandoned. It was simply put on the back burner while my schoolwork took over.

Special thanks to Kia-chan, a.k.a. Kaeru Soyokaze. She is my Numero Uno Muse, and without her I most likely would have let my working life eat me alive. She keeps me smiling and impassioned and inspired, whether I talk to her personally or simply read her daily LiveJournal entry.

Kia-chan: I thank you.

And now, a chapter that I know you've all been waiting for. Enjoy!!

* * *

Chapter 18: Conceived

A storm. It was real thunderstorm, sucking in the air above the clouds and spitting it out as thunder and lightning onto the earth below. Kohana peeped up at the blistering gray sky through the overhang of green leaves that served as her shelter. She shifted to tuck her bare legs underneath her, careful to rebalance herself delicately on the thick tree branch.

The forest below her was desolate, a wet wasteland filled with the sound of falling rain. From her dry haven she watched raindrops run off leaves, tracing their green veins before making their suicide plunge to the forest floor.

The hanyou bit back a sigh and thought, _Is this what it's like to be completely alone?_

At this point in time, Kohana was positive that she was indeed alone… in her mission at least. Her decision only days ago to take affirmative action had been a decisive one. Her mind was made up…

"Kohana-chan!"

The kitsune's light trance was broken by an energetic voice calling her name, shattering the silence. Leaning cautiously to one side, she spotted Jekku and Touhin standing under her perch, the former waving frantically.

"Hey," Kohana called down, a tickling shiver making her body tremble. "Aren't you cold?"

Jekku's warm smile slipped a little. "Aren't you?"

* * *

Kurama's eye twitched over the rim of his clay cup. "Well look what followed you home…"

"I brought them here…." Kohana scowled at her denmate and motioned for Jekku and Touhin to sit down. "It was wet out there."

"Poor excuse."

"Shut up. Please." Kohana pressed a hand to her forehead. "Must you always be so hostile?"

"Must you always be so naïve and annoying?"

"Must you always…"

"Oh, SHUT UP YOU TWO!" Kuronue, who had been sulking quietly in his bedroom, growled in frustration and fled out through the doorway without so much as a glance backwards.

A moment passed in silence, Jekku and Touhin at a loss for words and the two demons trying desperately to hold their tounges. The veil of awkwardness was finally lifted when a cheerfully curious Misao poked her head into the room, fox ears twitching.

"Mi-chan!" Jekku stood up quickly, nearly bumping his head on the dirt ceiling.

"Jekku-kun!" Misao giggled and ran forward to embrace him, but stopped short when her movements were met by three pairs of questioning eyes. She stood still, trying to hide the smile that slowly slid across her face. "Hiya."

"Hey…"

"Oh, enough." Kurama let himself flop backwards onto a tangled lump of blankets, careful not to spill his cup of steaming tea.

Kohana glancing briefly at the youko before turning her face to the floor, an ashamed blush creeping over her face. How could he be so soft one minute, then so hard-hearted the next?

Misao plopped herself down next to Jekku as Touhin cleared his throat. "I appreciate you taking us back to your home, but…"

"It's cold and rainy and icky out there. This is a better environment for pleasant conversation." Kohana attempted a smile and pushed a plate of nuts toward her guests.

Kurama rolled his eyes and groaned. The hanyou responded by elbowing him in the stomach, her smile never faltering.

"So… I guess you're probably wondering why we're not out hunting you today, eh?" Jekku grinned, laughing at his own joke.

Kohana's face went blank and Kurama snickered, "Hey, I like this kid..."

Jekku, seeing his joke die before his eyes, faked a cough and made a quick recovery. "Sanshi gave us the day off. Well, sort of. He told us," he motioned to himself and Touhin, "that he didn't have any special work for us to do, and told us to just do as we please." He paused. "It's kind of odd of him, actually. I mean, he always makes me do twice as much work as everyone else, but that's only because I'm different. Talk about racism, huh? Anyway, being a human the work is twice as hard too, since…"

The youko spat his tea out onto the floor with a loud, liquidy noise. His face went grave. "What."

It was a statement, not a question.

Jekku's babbling ceased and his pale eyes turned to the kitsune. "Hmm?"

"What… did you say you were?"

"….A human?"

The youko's face went blank.

"Yes? Maybe? No? A butter bean then. Yes, I suppose I can be a butter bean if that'll please you…"

"WHAT…"

Before Kurama could get another word out, Kohana slapped her hand over his mouth. Misao piped up, molding his next question into a gentler tone of voice. "If you're a human… then what are you doing in Makai?"

It was on Kohana's mind, too.

"Well… it's a long story actually." Jekku scooped a handful of nuts off the plate and popped them into his mouth between sentences. "You see my brother, Nobuyuki, was a Spirit Detective for Reikai. One of the demons he was sent to track down was considerably nastier than the others, and to make a long story short the hunter because the hunted. I myself was in training to become one of Koenma's detectives, and seeing as how I didn't have half the reputation of my brother, I used myself as leverage and bartered for his freedom. The demon released him and sent him back to Ningenkai, while I remained here. Thankfully I wasn't with him long; I don't know what that demon would have done with me should I have remained in his company longer. Anyway, Sanshi happened to kill this certain demon, and took me under his wing. He recruited me as one of his demon hunters…" he opened his arms and grinned, "…and here I am."

Kohana spoke first. "Wow."

"Yup." The human helped himself to more nuts. "Kinda crazy, but…yeah."

Misao spoke next. "So, what exactly do you DO for Sanshi?" She scooted closer to Jekku.

It was Touhin that answered. "We hunt other demons. There are certain thieves…" he paused, careful to avoid Kurama's eye, "…certain figures, certain ones among the youkai population… Either Sanshi would be hired as an assassin, or he'd take it upon himself to rid Makai of a demon who, in his eyes, was worthless." The young demon shrugged. "I can't say I'm proud of this work, his or his followers, but I can't say I understand it fully either…"

"What I really want is to be free…" Jekku interrupted dreamily, his eyes glazed over, shining with the intensity of his thoughts.

All eyes turned to him. "Jekku-kun?" Misao prodded gently, resting a soft hand on his arm.

"What I really want…" he repeated, then went quiet. After a brief silence he swallowed hard and continued. "This isn't the life I wanted… It's not what I expected. It's not something I want to continue… this endless role as a messenger of Death." Touhin opened his mouth to protest but Jekku cut him off with a laugh. "Because that's all it is, Touhin. Don't you see?" He looked at each of the astonished faces around him. "I think. And I plan. And I wait. And I'm just about done waiting… I'm going to achieve liberation… And not just for me, not just me, Touhin…" He turned to Touhin once more, placing his hand on his friend's knee and squeezing. "For you, for everyone under Sanshi's control. He is a monster… Not just any demonic fiend, but a monster… And for the sake of everyone in Three Worlds I'm going to take him down! Once he's gotten the most powerful demons out of the way, there's not telling what he's capable of! What he'll DO!"

Kohana sat motionless. Was this really her father? So tortured? So…

…So determined? So brave?

The hanyou opened her mouth to speak, but her speech was stopped by an abrupt and painful noise from Misao. The kitsune slapped a hand over her mouth, her cheeks now pale and bulging. Her slender frame heaved and she squeezed her eyes shut as she bolted from the room. The group fell silent, listening to the sounds of the woman retch several rooms away. Jekku in particular looked horrified.

"Misao!" He hastened to his feet and moved to the doorway. "Misao? Are you alright?"

"Fine!" came the quick reply, followed by the uncomfortable sound of vomit hitting the floor.

"Spirit Upchuck," Kohana murmured to herself, glancing up at Touhin.

The young demon had been staring at her the entire time. His lavender eyes were glazed over in a dreamy sort of way, and his hands were settled disturbing close to his groin. The hanyou winced and distracted herself but shoving a handful of nuts into her mouth. Her teeth ached as she bit into an unshelled walnut and her face flushed with the pain.

Kuronue chose that moment to make his grand return. "Is the party still here?" he asked dryly, settling himself on the floor next to Touhin. He looked from the boy, to Kurama, to the boy again. "Who did you say you were?"

Misao sauntered back down the hallway, dizzy with vertigo. Kuronue rose to help her but Jekku got their first. He braced the kitunse with his arms, cradling her gently against him. She smiled and nuzzled her face into his shirt. The chimera, only feet away, froze.

"Are you alright?" Jekku asked the fox demon.

"I'm fine…" was the soft reply.

"Sick?"

"Well…"

"What's the matter?"

Misao moved back to look up into Jekku's eyes and clasp his hands in hers. "…I'm pregnant."

The only sounds were the crash of Kurama's cup hitting the floor and the consistent thud of Kohana's thundering heartbeat. Kuronue had ceased to breathe entirely.

"Je-Jekku-san?" Touhin questioned quietly.

That was when Misao remembered there were others in the den. Peeping cautiously over Jekku's shoulder, she bit her lip as she met the chimera's eyes.

"Kuro-kun, I…"

"Don't. Just don't."

"But…"

"YOU WHORE!" And with that the chimera was gone, the sound of his wings beating relentlessly fading into the distance above.

"For the love of INARI, Misao!" Kurama leapt to his feet. "With a HUMAN?!"

"Kurama!" Misao whined in protest, but the Youko just shook his head and left the den, following Kuronue's example.

Jekku turned to look at Touhin. The boy was already on his feet, throwing short glances from a blushing face in Kohana's direction. "I…I'll meet you back at camp, J-Jekku-san…" He fled on the youko's heels.

At last only the hanyou was left. Misao looked sadly up at Jekku, who ran his fingers tenderly down her cheek. Then she turned on Kohana. "You understand… Don't you, Kohana-chan?"

It was an odd feeling, staring at her mother, begging her to understand the misunderstandable. Unable to take her eyes off her parents she opened her mouth, only to find that her tongue had turned to sandpaper.

"Kohana…"

The hanyou's entire focus shifted to Jekku. There was something in his eyes, something in the way he looked at her… Kohana felt a pang of anxiety in her heart as a cool sensation entered her mind. She knew that feeling… She had felt it numerous times when Makai was at the mercy of Yokozuki…

…Speak of the devil, where was he now?

The chill in her mind deepened, turning her thoughts back to the present moment. Jekku seemed to be studying her, his eyes widening with each second that passed, until his face finally settled and a small smile split his stone features.

"Come here, Kohana-chan."

The hanyou stood up. The human beckoned her closer, reading for her hand. She took it; it was warm and gentle despite the calluses on the fingers and palm. Jekku gave her hand a light squeeze, then pressed it flat against his lover's stomach.

Misao smiled, understanding. She placed her hand over Jekku's and Kohana's, gazing up at her love, then at the half-breed. "Thank you, Kohana-chan," she whispered.

Somewhere underneath the hanyou's hand, she was beginning. Somewhere inside of Misao, deep within her belly, something had taken root and begun to reshape history. Not just that of her parents, but of her friends, of Ningenkai, Makai, and Reikai. The roots were planted deep and strong, and were already beginning to bloom into the little flower of the future…

Kohana smiled, managing to fight back the tears that threatened to escape down her face. "Don't thank me, Misao-chan," she said softly. "I know what it's like to be in love."

Outside, quiet and calculating, a pair of bright orange eyes glimmered like molten steel.


	20. Chapter 19 Done and Doomed

"The plug needs a new socket." XD

* * *

Chapter 19: Done and Doomed

The plan had been simple. Kurama and Kuronue had been bent on stealing the Mirror for ages, and now was the perfect time to take it. There was no longer a guardian at the temple. In fact, the whole place had been abandoned and left to decay. And now the little treasure lay waiting somewhere inside, just begging to be stolen. The ideal scheme was that Kurama and Kuronue would infiltrate while Kohana and Misao provided any necessary distractions or assistance.

The plan was perfect. But as life would have it, nothing is ever perfect.

* * *

The chimera found the hanyou in a most vulnerable position. She was spread out on her back on a grassy hill, halfway down the slope. One leg was bent upwards at the knee and her arms were flung out at her sides, welcoming what little warmth the sun's rays had to offer. If she was cold she didn't show it; she wore the same scanty and sexy attire she had worn since the day Misao had given it to her.

Kuronue figured that now was as good a time of any. His frustration was high, and his outlets for taking it out were sadly low.

The youkai moved with silent grace, moving gracefully through the air to land just behind Kohana's head. Her eyes were closed, her face turned up to the sky. Settling himself on the ground, Kuronue bent over the hanyou, eyeing her hungrily. He plucked a blade of grass and tickled her cheek with it.

Kohana swatted the grass away and lazily opened her eyes. "Kuronue-kun?" she asked, drowsy.

The chimera grinned wryly. "What are you doing out here all by yourself? You're in plain sight. Someone could sneak up on you…"

"Like you did?"

"Well, yes, but… You've left yourself so carelessly in view, and half-asleep. Something, or someone, could take you away, and you wouldn't notice a thing…" The chimera slid one slim finger over the smooth flesh on her collarbone.

Kohana's brows knit together. Something was not right. "Kuronue…" She moved to sit up, but the chimera reached out and held her wrists firmly, pinning her where she was.

"Where are you going off to so fast? I was looking forward to a little chat."

"Then talk."

Kuronue released his grip, allowing the fox to resettle herself into a sitting position directly facing him. He idly fingered the stone around his neck as he spoke.

"What would you do… if today were your last day to live?"

"…Excuse me?"

"You can't tell me you've never thought about it…" The chimera locked his gaze on Kohana. "What would happen if this day was the end of the line? If by this time tomorrow you'd be dead and buried?" He leaned in closer. "What would you do?"

"Are you serious?" When Kuroune neither moved nor gave an answer, she sighed, deciding to play along. "I suppose… I suppose I'd do all the things I've never done."

The chimera grinned. This was his opening.

"And what have you not done?" He shifted himself so that Kohana got a full and noticeable view of the bulge under his black leggings.

The hanyou turned red and averted her gaze. Was he doing that on purpose?

"Oh, come now. There HAS to be something you haven't tried yet… Tasting wine… Raiding the manor of a noble…" His tone dropped. "Learning about men… Learning about yourself…"

Kohana squeezed her eyes shut. If he said what she thought he was going to say…

"…Making love…"

"Kuronue, this needs to…" She rose to her feet, only to have the chimera knock her flat on her back again. He hovered over her, pinning her down by the arms and staring directly into her face.

"You…" he breathed, "have the most breathtaking eyes…"

"You," she replied, "are a horny bastard."

Kuronue chuckled. "And what if that's true?" He pressed against her, grinding his hips against hers.

Kohana moaned in disgust, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. "Then you…need to… learn a lesson!" she grunted, bringing one knee up forcefully up into the chimera's groin.

Kuronue let go of her with a howl, rolling off to one side and bringing his hands to cup his abused organ. Kohana stood triumphantly over him, her hands on her hips.

"If you try that again I'll kill you myself." She lowered her voice. "Besides… I'm waiting for my Prince Charming. And you, my friend… Not only are you not a prince, you have the charm and grace of an ogre."

And with that she stalked away, leaving the chimera with a bruised libido and an even more bruised ego.

* * *

Kohana's aimless escape took her to the banks of the misty lake. She stood at the water's edge, the thick forest at her back.

"What have I gotten myself into?" she murmured aloud, her weary eyes turning to where the sun had already begun to sink below the horizon.

"Isn't that what we all ask ourselves once in a while?"

The hanyou whirled around at the sound of the same light, soft voice that took her by surprise only days ago. A calm feeling washed over her as she beheld Hiketsu, the woman's dark hair braided and draped over one shoulder.

Hiketsu smiled. "Kohana. How are you?"

The kitsune sighed, not knowing how to answer. "I don't know, Hiketsu. Things are… strange…"

The woman's head tilted thoughtfully to one side. "What do you mean by strange?"

"I… don't know. I don't know a lot of things." Kohana hung her head. "It's all just… overwhelming…"

"Have you decided what you are going to do about Sanshi?"

Forgetting that Hiketsu knew all about her, Kohana was taken aback. It took her a moment to remember the strong advice the woman had given her the last time they met.

The hanyou nodded slowly. "I'm going to defeat him. But how, I don't know…"

Hiketsu smiled, but it was a small one compared to her usual cheery grin. "Feel your way, Hanyou Kohana. Move as events unfold, and take actions when you opportunity presents itself. This is a situation you cannot rush through. It is dangerous to jump headfirst into a shallow pool. You must wait until the water gets deeper. Only then can you make your dive."

The kitsune blinked. "So what you're saying is…"

"Wait until the time is right. Wait until the plot thickens and you have a clear path to the core of the problem. Watch and wait…" She paused. "However, there will be a price. Certain sacrifices will have to be made…"

"Sacrifices?" Kohana's blood went cold. "What kind of sacrifices?"

Hiketsu shook her head. "That is not my place to tell you. Besides, you already know the past. Better than myself."

Kohana stared at the woman in disbelief. Sacrifices? She turned to glance at the lake, a basin of liquid silver floating placidly before her, catching and reflecting the last of the sun's rays. "I just don't see what you mean by sacrifices…"

"Who said anything about sacrifices?"

Her heart jumping into her throat, she snapped her head back to see Touhin standing where Hiketsu once was.

"Touhin," she murmured.

"I saw you out here all alone… It's getting dark." He pointed to the sun, only a sliver of it left in the sky. "Shall I walk with you back to the den?"

Kohana shook her head. "What are you doing all the way out here?"

The small demon shrugged. "…Business…" he said absently.

The hanyou's ears twitched. "'Business'?"

"Oh, you know the usual." The green-haired Yokozuki sauntered out of the trees behind Touhin, orange eyes flashing wickedly. "Just doing the bounty thing…"

"And what might that be?"

Yokozuki laughed, putting a hand on Touhin's shoulder and making the younger demon look extrememly uncomfortable. He dropped his lavender eyes to the ground as he replied, "Well, you see, there's this mirror…"

Kohana bit her tongue. _Oh please no…_

"Sanshi-sama is awfully interested in acquiring it, but there are these... thieves in the way." He grinned wryly. "We should be headed over there, say… shortly after sunset?"

Kohana spun around just as the last of the sun disappeared behind the mountains.

"You don't stand a chance!" Yokozuki guffawed. "Unless you have some untapped power no one knows about, your friends are goners! And as for you…" He snickered, pushing Touhin across the distance between himself and the hanyou. The younger youkai slammed into her, his cheeks a flaming crimson. Kohana, disturbed and disgusted, pushed him gently away.

"Go on, Touhin!" Yokozuki yelled mockingly. "Tell her how you feel!"

Touhin looked shamefully up at Kohana, then back down at the ground. His hands clenched and unclenched at his sides.

"Go on, she won't bite. Hard," Yokozuki jeered. "Just tell her, Touhin… You're attracted to a half-breed! …Or perhaps just turned on by her."

Kohana could not believe what she was hearing. With a sickened cry she pulled out her Rose Whip, lashing out at the two youkai. "Leave my friends alone!"

"You can't stop us!" Yokozuki cackled, dragging Touhin to his feet and dodging the kitsune's weapon. "You made the pathetic little mistake of getting mixed up with Youko and Kuronue, and getting on our bad side. You would've made a lovely, and useful, little addition to our band of hunters…"

"ENOUGH!" Kohana sprang forward, intent on slicing the bastard to pieces.

But it was too late. Yokozuki and Touhin had already turned tail into the trees and disappeared.

The kitsune fell to her knees. Shortly after sunset… That was almost now. Kuronue, Youko and Misao would be at the temple right now… Well, she could at least count on her mother to be far from the scene of battle with Jekku. But her male companions had no inkling of the trap that was being set for them…

"Kohana!" Gentle yet strong hands hauled the hanyou to her feet as Hiketsu's voice flooded her ears. The woman spun the kitsune around to face her. "You friends need you know. Now is the time to start taking action, to being the counterattack." She shook Kohana gently. "You must not falter. You WILL NOT falter." There was a desperation in her eyes than transferred into Kohana's body, making her anxious to move.

"But I don't even know where this temple is!" Kohana protested, frustrated.

Hiketsu paused, giving the hanyou a slightly reprimanding look. "Oh yes you do…"

"But the only temple I know of is…" And then she had it. "…YOURS!"

Hiketsu nodded. "Go Kohana," she commanded, tracing a holy sign in the air before Kohana's face. "Go to your friends…"

Kohana nodded and turned on her heels, racing into the thick forest behind the lake. If Hiketsu pulled another disappearing act, the kitsune didn't notice.

What was done was done. The gears of fate were turning rapidly, and Kohana would do anything in her power to stop them. Otherwise, without her, her friends… both in the terrifying present and equally horrific future… were doomed.


	21. Chapter 20 The Temple of Fate

The Yu Yu Hakusho Symphonic Collections are wonderful things.

* * *

Chapter 20: The Temple of Fate

"Well, this is it."

The kitsune and the chimera stopped at the end of the cherry grove. There it was, Shukumei Temple, exactly as it had stood for thousands of years, with the addition of creeping ivy and infectious clumps of mold. Worn down by the weather, it no longer reflected the first lights of dusk, but instead soaked them up, presenting itself as one massive shadow in the darkness.

Kuronue clucked his tongue. "I've been waiting for this for so long…"

The item in question was the Mirror of Stolen Sacrifice, a powerful weapon created in Reikai around the same time as the creation of the Ningenkai, Makai, and Meikai. It had been made to single out those souls that King Enma found to be pure evil, separate them from their physical bodies and dispose of them. The body was left without a spirit, and thus when the body died there would be no afterlife for that person. They would simply be swallowed by blackness and cease to exist entirely. However, in the slim chance that the body had accumulated a massive storage of power, the body could regenerate itself in a ghostly form, one that could slip between worlds easily. This was the great fault of the Mirror: while the sacred soul was gone, the devilish manifestations of the being's emotions and memories were left behind. But this was rarely the case.

The Mirror had been dubbed dangerous in the wrong hands, and was locked away deep within Shukumei Temple. There, along with other artifacts of great importance in the Three Worlds, a line of priests and priestesses had carefully guarded them. But the line had dwindled and died out, leaving the temple empty and abandoned for centuries. Some artifacts had been recovered by Reikai officials and brought to the safety of King Enma's sacred vaults, where no one could get at their destructive power. However, several such dangerous objects, like the Mirror of Stolen Sacrifice, had escaped Reikai's eyes.

Now Youko Kurama and Kuronue stood before the temple, wicked smiles playing across their features. This was the item they meant to take, and item they had to acquire at all costs.

"Ready partner?" Kuronue asked, adrenaline firing through his veins with the excitement of the moment.

"Absolutely." Kurama flashed the chimera a grin before they two of them shot off towards the temple, their thoughts consumed with their mission.

* * *

Kohana's lungs were on fire. She panted heavily, willing her aching legs to continue to carry her forward over the cold ground. The air had gone chilly as twilight had set in, and a breeze had picked up, stinging her bare limbs as she dashed through the forest, dodging around and jumping over bamboo shoots. In the darkness she ran square into one, the hard surface of the chute striking her collarbone under her right shoulder. The hanyou teetered for a moment, the blow throwing her off balance, then threw her weight forward so she wouldn't fall over. She staggered a few steps then broke into a sprint, ignoring the throbbing ache in her collarbone. She would find a bruise there later.

The kitsune kept her eyes and ears open, listening past the sound of her own heavy breathing and frantic heartbeat. It was far too quite in the forest, especially so close to the temple. Sanshi's hunters had to be somewhere…

Just as this thought struck her mind, the Kohana ground to a halt, nearly tripping as her momentum was disturbed. Ahead of her should have been the thickest part of the bamboo forest. The chutes grew thicker and closer together as one approached the thin cherry grove that signaled the approach of the temple. Instead, her eyes showed her an unmoving vortex of darkness, as thick and black as pitch. Nothing stirred beyond it. The hanyou couldn't even see the bamboo that grew beyond the darkness.

Kohana bit her lip. So this was it. Sanshi and his hunters were definitely here, and they had set every trap imaginable to ensnare the hanyou and her friends.

Hiketsu's words resounded in her mind: "You must not falter. You WILL NOT falter…"

"Then I guess I won't falter," the kitsune murmured aloud. She took a deep breath and, steeling her muscles, plunged into the abyss before her.

As expected, the kitsune slammed face-first into a thick tangle of bamboo chutes. Ignoring the pain of the impact she raced around it, only to collide with more bamboo. She strained to see, but her vision could make out nothing. The air lay heavy around her, the shadows planted by Sanshi making the air hot and stifling, almost enough to suffocate her. She worked her lungs harder, taking a deep breathe with ever step.

She ran forward again, this time holding her arms out in front of her as a sort of buffer for the bamboo. The hanyou hit the trees several more times, but not as hard as when she had first entered the forest.

She could smell the cherry blossoms coming nearer when something smooth and sharp grazed the flesh on the inside of her elbow, just in front of her torso. The hanyou yelped and darted sideways, falling to her knees beside the offense object. She ran her fingers along her arm and felt blood. Gently, fearing she knew exactly what had happened, she reached out to feel what had stabbed her.

It was a chute of sharpened bamboo.

With a soft cry Kohana dragged herself to her feet and ran as fast as her legs would carry her through the forest. Chute after chute of bamboo slammed into her or came darting seemingly out of nowhere, slicing through the air in an attempt to strike her down where she stood. Blows glanced, sharpened tips poking and scratched her skin, tearing flesh open in neat lines and bruising her already bloodstained body. She reached back to pull her Rose Whip out of her hair, but stooped when a sharpened shoot sliced open the back of her hand.

She could hear the shadows laughing at her, mockingly, jeeringly. Kohana clenched her fists and ignored them as bamboo continued to rain down on her. The forest rang with the sounds of rattling bamboo leaves and the whistle of the smooth shoots flying like daggers out of heaven. The hanyou panted heavily, ignoring the warm, coopery smell of blood as it slipped down her arms, legs and torso. She had to make it out of the forest alive. She had to…

Just as suddenly as the bamboo rain had begun, it stopped.

Kohana found herself in the cherry grove, dimly lit by the silver crescent of moon that hung in the sky above. She turned around. The shadows and the murderous bamboo forest lay behind her.

She looked down. Scratches and bruises littered her body and small rivers of blood trickles down to earth under her feet. A sigh and a shiver shook her frame as she looked up at the towering fortress of Shukumei Temple. The hard part of her task wasn't even over yet, and she already sported battle scars.

"Is that the best you can do?" Kohana asked aloud, forcing a grip smile onto her lips. If she didn't show Sanshi fear, then it would be harder for him to overcome her.

The kitsune hadn't taken two steps into the grove when hunters came crashing through the trees. Kohana set her Whip into action, slicing the nearest demons in two and beheading several others. She spun in a circle, swinging the Whip wildly around her head. Once it gained momentum she ceased her body's turning and sank to her knees just as a dozen more hunters ran at her, brandishing weapons. As she changed the height and angle of her whirling weapon she cut the hunters down as they came at her. Those behind the freshly killed halted in their tracks, searching for another way to get to the hanyou.

Two of them were brave enough to crawl towards her, their stomachs flat on the ground. Kohana saw them just in time to angle her whip lower and straighten up, slitting their throats as they lunged at her. The hanyou sprang into the air and spun sideways to land on a low branch of one of the trees. The hunters swarmed around the tree and began hacking ferociously at the trunk.

Kohana leapt to another tree just as the one she had been standing on was cut down. Quickly she jumped to the ground and broke into a sprint. The temple doors were only a few yards away…

Suddenly, and fortunately, she remembered a special attack a dear friend of hers had once taught her… A dear friend in the future whose life was on the line. She sent out a silent prayer to him as she focused on the mass of golden energy that began to concentrate in her hands.

Kohana ran up the temple steps, then turned to reveal the glowing ball of spirit energy gripped in her palms to the hunters. But it was already to late for them.

"SPIRIT BOMBER!" she yelled, hurling the energy ball into their midst. Kohana didn't even wait for the explosion as she turned on her heels, yanked open the temple doors, and raced inside.

Through the cracks in the stone doors, Kohana could see that her attack had done its duty. As the bright light receded, she could hear no shouts nor the clank of metal on metal. All the hunters on the outside were dead.

Inside the temple was dark. The walls were made of the same stone as the outside, as were the floors. Her footsteps echoed softly as she slowly proceeded down the hallway, her eyes locked on the blackness ahead of her. She put her Rose Whip away but kept her body tense. This time, if she was attacked, she would be ready…

"It doesn't matter how prepared you are. It only matters how strong you are…" The sharp bass of Sanshi's voice cut through the air, settling around Kohana's ears. "The question is, are you strong enough, little one?"

"I'm not little," Kohana said gently, resisting the urge to spit.

"Your name means 'little flower'. Kokitsune, drop your affectionate mask and show me what you really are…"

The use of her nickname, given to her by Hiei in as lovingly a way as Hiei could give, made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. She bristled. "Don't call me that."

The only answer was a chuckle that faded away into the darkness.

"Sanshi!" Kohana shouted, forgetting to be carefully. "Don't you run away from me!" She broke into a run. "Come back here and fight me!"

Someone grabbed her from behind. She turned around, aiming a kick at her attacker. She managed to land one on his shin before he slammed her backwards into stone wall. She cried out and kicked again. This time her leg was slammed backwards into the wall. Kohana growled in her throat and looked up to meet a pair of blazing lavender eyes.

"Touhin Zoutarou, let me go," she demanded, attempting to kick again. She felt a searing warmth spread over her body as he grabbed her wrists, pinning her to the stone at her back. He was pressing her against the wall with his spirit energy.

"Hanyou Kohana, please listen to me…"

The hanyou spat in his face.

"Kohana, you can save yourself now. I can get you out of here. I can keep you safe…" She felt his gaze travel over her trapped form. She was fully aware that she was breathing heavily, causing her chest to rise and fall rapidly in a mildly seductive manner. "They won't know I'm missing. I'm always underfoot or in the way, they won't care if I leave… I can take you with me, you won't get hurt…"

"Enough of your lies!" Kohana screamed.

"But Kohana… What can I do to convince you?"

"Get away from me!"

Suddenly she felt his mouth on her neck. He moved down, kissing gently from the nape of her neck to her collarbone, leaving fiery disgust in his wake. Kohana fought to free herself as his hand roamed closer and closer to her breasts.

A thought struck her. She could use this situation to her advantage.

Playing the part of the simpering female, Kohana let out a long sigh, moaning the demons name. "T-Touhin…" she choked in a fake manner, swallowing hard and increasing her breathing rate. "Touhin, Touhin! Please!"

The demon seemed to get the idea. Touhin pulled back, releasing her from his spell. She slumped forward onto her knees, the youkai falling with her. He kneeled over her, cradling her head against his chest.

"Kohana," he whispered. "If you leave now you won't have to deal with Kurama, or Kuronue, or Sanshi anymore…"

"Touhin," she breathed, burying her face in his chest.

Touhin prickled. "Kohana, I…"

His words were cut short as a scream ripped through his throat. Kohana bit down on his collarbone and yanked away, tearing cloth and flesh away from his body. Touhin screamed and clutched as his wound, falling to his knees. He looked up at Kohana with frightened eyes.

"If I leave now, I leave all my friends in Death's hands!" she yelled. "Besides, you become one heinously evil son of a bitch in the future!"

Without another word to the demon she spun and fled, her words hanging in Touhin Zoutarou's ears.

* * *

"It's a pity Misao was too busy rolling around in the grass with Jekku to do this…" Kuronue remarked, crossing his arms smugly over his chest. "Perhaps we should've used Kohana aferall…"

Kurama shook his head, a sad look in his eyes. "No. The place looked safe enough. I didn't want to risk her hurting herself."

The chimera eyed the kitsune. "You really care about her, don't you?" He got no anwer.

Before them, the Mirror of Stolen Sacrifice lay on a stone altar, bathed in moonlight. It was a simple rectangular mirror with a carved golden frame. The room around them was a high-ceilinged chapel, its stained-glass windows set high in the walls. Behind them sat rows of benches cut from the same stone as the floor. Past the altar, on the wall behind it, an inscription was chiseled into the stone and filled with molten gold, tarnished from years of neglect.

_O, wandering restless soul of thine,_

_Beware the consequences of tampered fate._

_The sacred soul that once was mine_

_Was not made as yours to take._

_To alter devilish manifestations so_

_Creates a fate more terrifying then you know._

It was a stupid, simple riddle, the more the thieves thought about it. So stealing souls was bad, they had known that already. Besides, it wasn't like they were going to actually go out and steal souls with it. They weren't going to pawn it off to anyone either who may be using it for evil…

Kuronue had just taken the mirror up into his arms when a shout echoed through the temple. The two of them turned to the open doors to behold Kohana, bloody and bedraggled.

"Kohana-chan!" A peculiar, unfamiliar feeling overtook the youko. To see the female kitsune standing there, clothing soaked with blood and bruises littering her body, made his heart twist painfully within his chest. He took a step forward, then another quicker one, until he was running down the center isle of the chapel, forgetting all about Kuronue and the Mirror. He reached out with both his hands to clasp the hanyou by the shoulders as she staggered forward to meet him. "Kohana-chan, what happened to you?"

"Kurama, Kuronue, you have to leave here now!" she cried, grasping Kurama by the tunic. "Sanshi and his hunters are watching you! It's a trap!"

"WHAT!"

The words had barely sunken in to the thieves when the sound of stone grinding on stone reached their ears. Then turned just in time to see the chapel doors thud closed, and a deep, devilish laughter filled the air.

"You fell into my trap quite nicely." Sanshi's voice echoed throughout the dimly lit chamber. "Enjoy these last moments while you still can. Come sunrise, we'll have a lovely group slaughter." His voice turned cold. "Would that please you Kohana?" He laughed again, before his presence left the area completely.

The three stood in silence for a long moment. Kohana backed against the wall, the cool stone pressing at her back. Kuronue and Kurama exchanged confused looks then turned to glance at Kohana.

The kitsune had slid to the floor and hugged her knees up to her chest. She looked up at them through silvery eyes overflowing with tears.


	22. Chapter 21 Escape to Death

Hey there everybody! Missed me? ;; I can't tell you how sorry I am for the lack of updates... I've had so much work to do and so little time to do anything for myself, like write or play video games or eat or sleep...

But here I am, and I'm ready to finish this! I will not disappoint you. 3

A special thanksto all my loyal Kokitsune readers. This one's for you!

Lexi-chan

* * *

Chapter 21: Escape to Death

"Why are you here?"

Kohana stared at the youko kneeling before her, tears streaming from her wide eyes. She bit her lip as panic overcame her; the question was one she couldn't afford to answer.

Kurama's expression was firm as stone. He reached out and wrapped his fingers under the hanyou's chin, forcing her to look him in the eyes. "Why are you here?" he repeated.

Kohana remained silent.

"You're not here by chance, like you've led us to believe." Kurama's golden eyes flicked over her features. "A pretty young kitsune just sudden wanders into our neck of Makai, no knowledge of the area, no real knowledge of youkai ways, and yet she fights with the precision and skill of a seasoned warrior…" His eyes narrowed to almost slits. "Bullshit."

The hanyou started, withdrawing from the youko until she was pressed straight-backed against the wall. His fingers remained firmly on her chin as he leaned forward, making the hanyou's attempts to move away futile. Kohana flinched, her entire body tense with anxiety.

Kurama's interrogation continued. "It is not possible that you ended up here, with us, by accident. You came here knowing what you would find. You were driven by a purpose…"

An image flashed across Kohana's mind, clear as day: The shimmering lights of the portal above Makai as she fell towards it, splintered pieces of wood falling around her like rain… One hand reaching out to grasp a small pink compact, the other trying desperately to keep a backpack from falling off her back… She felt the sensation of having a smaller, younger body, shorter hair more coppery than golden, a mind filled with confusion… The upward shower of sparks and the electricity enveloping her as she plummeted through the portal…

"Chitsuko…" The name slipped subconsciously from her lips.

The youko's ears twitched as they picked up the name. Kuronue, several feet away, ceased his pacing and turned in the hanyou's direction.

"Chitsuko?" Kurama asked. "Who is Chitsuko? Is she the one who sent you here?" He moved closer and brushed a few strands of hair out of her eyes, almost as though her were examining her face. "Or is it your real name?"

Another image: Her in her younger body and a boy her age with flaming red hair, walking down a sidewalk hand-in-hand… The boy wrapping his arm around her shoulders, softly whispering her name… "Chitsuko-chan…"

"Are you here looking for someone named Chitsuko? Are you even looking for someone?" Kurama's face was just inches from hers now, his eyes wildly searching her face for an answer to his questions. "Who or what are you looking for? What is it you have to do?"

Voices, and more images: A short boy with black hair and bright red eyes, speaking without looking at her, "You know what you must do…" An old woman with pale pink hair standing beside her, saying, "You understand what you must do. When the moment arrives, follow your gut instincts and your heart will take over from there…." Her own voice, floating in space, younger, softer, "Why aren't you trying to stop me?" …And another voice, soothing and full of love, so familiar and so close to her heart… "Because I know that this is inevitable…. I only wish I could be there to help you…"

The youko's voice penetrated her thoughts. "Why are you here?"

Kohana bristled, her entire body coming to attention as her eyes met those in front of her. _But you are with me…_Her entire body became warm as her skin flushed a soft crimson. "You are with me…"

Kurama pulled back slightly, his eyes remaining fixed on the hanyou's face. Thinking her words were for him, he replied with as much passion and force as his questions, "I am with you. I want to know what you are doing here so I can help you. I want to know what you seek. I want to know why you've been risking your life with us, for us. I want to know why you're so different, why you make me feel so different…"

The youko stopped. Kuronue had now removed himself to a corner where he could not be seen, feeling as though he were intruding on some private conversation between the two foxes. He watched as Kurama slowed his passions, his breathing becoming more controlled as he leaned in towards Kohana once more.

"I want to know what you're going to do here, and what you're going to do with me…"

Kohana whispered, "Do with you?"

Kurama's hand slid around the back of the hanyou's neck, cradling her head and winding his fingers in her hair. His voice was barely a whisper. "I want to know what you're going to do with me… now that I've…" The youko bit his lip, then sighed and leaned forward until his forehead was pressed against hers. His voice was soft when he spoke again. "Let me help you."

Without hesitation, Kohana nodded.

* * *

Misao stifled a yelp as a snap echoed through the trees. She glanced around, only to discover that the sound had come from a small branch breaking under the weight of a squirrel. Relieved but still on alert, the kitsune carefully wound her way through the trees, creeping slowly closer to the youkai hunters' camp.

She waited on the outskirts, her milky white body carefully hidden in the brush. Peeking between the leaves she spotted her love sitting at a small campfire, roasting a piece of meat on a stick. Misao pursed her lips and let out a low birdcall, one that Jekku had taught her himself. Sure enough, Jekku perked up at the sound, his eyes scanning the edges of the camp. When they settled on the bush she was in, the kitsune knew he had found her.

Jekku excused himself from his fellow hunters and strode towards the other side of the camp. Misao crept out from under the bushes and made a swift dash in the same direction, being careful not to cross into the circle of tents where the other hunters could see her.

Jekku met her with open arms. Misao, smiling, ran into them, knocking her love onto the ground and covering his face with playful kisses.

"Misao-chan!" Jekku laughed and ran his fingers through her hair. He pulled himself up into a sitting position, cradling the kitsune in his lap. "What are you doing here?"

"The others are on a treasure hunt," Misao replied, leaning up to plant a tender kiss on the ningen's neck.

"Well, why aren't you with them?"

"I didn't feel like going."

"Why not?"

Misao sat up straight and scratched her golden head. "Between you and me, I don't think I could keep up the life of a thief any longer. Living on whatever we find in the wilderness and whatever we steal from civilization… It's a little monotonous. And besides…" Her eyes settled on Jekku's face and a smile lit up her features. "You're here, and not out there. So I would rather be here."

Jekku smiled softly. "If only life we are simple as choosing between here or there…" His gaze trailed to the ground and lingered on a weed sporting purple buds near Misao's feet.

Misao sat still for a moment, studying the ningen's forlorn figure. Leaning down, she peering up into his face. "Is everything alright, Jekku-kun?"

"Hm?" Jekku started and looked up at the kitsune. She looked so sweet, so blissfully unaware of the storm closing in them… "Yes, I'm fine. Let's go for a walk."

The pair stood up and meandered off into the trees, hand in hand.

* * *

"We need a way out of here. And fast." Kuronue studied the room for another possible exit. "Any luck with that door, kitsune?" he shouted over his shoulder.

"Afraid not," Kurama grunted in reply, giving the stone doors that led into the chapel one last heave. "Something must be holding them closed from the outside."

"Shadows," Kohana said. She had taken the time to compose herself, and now she was ready to do battle with the satanic youkai that plagued her.

The chimera cross his arms over his chest and heaved an exasperated sigh. "Next time we see Jekku and Misao they'll be shish kabob, no doubt, skewered and roasted by Sanshi himself." He glanced forlornly at the sealed stone doorway. ""And that's the only exit..."

Kohana spun around, surveying the chapel one last time. A glint of green caught her eye and she halted. Encircling the room and embedded into the stone, moonlight shimmered through stained glass windows and sprawled itself across the chapel in a myriad of colors.

"It depends on what you consider an exit, Kuronue…"

Both chimera and youko turned, following the hanyou's gaze. A quick glance at one another and smiles played across their faces.

"She's a smart one." Kuronue took to the air and settled himself on a ledge directly in front of the glass panels. He balled his hand into a fist, reeled back, and punched the glass.

A loud crack echoed through the chapel. A second later Kuronue was back on the chapel floor, nursing his right hand.

"Are you freaking KIDDING ME!" the chimera screamed, eyeing his purpling knuckles.

"Kuronue-kun, what's wrong?" Kohana knelt down beside him and took his injured hand in both of hers. Bruises we slowly forming on his knuckles and there were cuts where his fingernails had dug into his palm on impact.

"Hard as stone." The chimera winced as the hanyou wrapped her fingers around his hand and began to apply her spirit energy to it.

"But it's glass," Kurama said, staring up at the windows.

"I bet Sanshi had his shadows guard the windows too. He knows we're not stupid." Kohana paused for a moment, then added under her breath, "…At least he knew I'm not…"

"Well then what do we use to break through them?" Kurama asked. "If there are shadows behind it then we need some sort of force that the shadows' energy will respond to. Something like…" his ears suddenly perked up, "spirit energy."

Kohana looked at the youko over her shoulder. "Kurama, do you know how to…"

"I know exactly what you're going to ask, and yes."

The youko moved into the center aisle of the chapel. Closing his eyes, he held his arms straight out in front of him and raising his hands toward the stained glass windows. The crimson light of his spirit energy began to curl around his arms and pool in his palms, forming shimmering spheres around his hands. When the spheres were the size of his head, Kurama opened his eyes and with a cry lobbed them at the glass panels.

The spheres exploded on impact with the glass and the energy sloughed off its surface, splashing off the ledge and onto the chapel floor like water. The panels weren't even cracked.

"…You're losing your touch, kit," Kuronue snorted.

Kohana's ears went flat against her head and her eyes narrowed. "I know what the bastard wants…"

Sanshi's chilling voice floated through her mind. _"Kokitsune, drop your affectionate mask and show me what you really are…"_

"Let me help." Kohana released Kuronue's hand and moved to stand beside Kurama. Fixing her gaze on the windows, she told the youko, "Do what you just did again."

Once again Kurama formed the spheres of energy around his hands. Kohana stretched out her arms and locked her hands in front of her, pointing at the windows with both index fingers. The hanyou's own golden spirit energy began to bud at the tips of her fingers, flickering wildly like a candle flame caught in a breeze.

The hanyou started the countdown. "One…"

"…Two…" the youko continued.

"…Three!"

Both kitsunes let their energy fly at the same time. The energy smashed into the panels and shattered them instantly. Glass shards rained down into the chapel and the three companions moved back to avoid being wounded.

* * *

A muffled explosion cut through the silence of the forest. Jekku and Misao raised their eyes to the sky just in time to see a flash of gold temporarily outshine the stars.

Misao drew in a sharp breath. "That light…"

"Definitely not natural, even for Makai…" Jekku said quietly.

The two turned to face each other, then glanced back up at the sky, now dark and sprinkled with twinkling stars once again.

Jekku's fears seemed to be confirmed on Misao's face. The kitsune bit her lip, her gaze focusing on the trees beyond her love's shoulders. "Do you think… Do you think the others are alright?"

The ningen tilted his head back. The stars continued to flash and twinkle high above their heads. "I'm not so sure…"

Twigs and leaves crunched nearby, and the pair spun around, Jekku pulling a dagger from a sheath at his side.

A pair of flaming orange eyes, crinkled with amusement, greeted them.

* * *

"Let's move!" Kuronue scooped Kohana up in his arms and flew up to the legde. The stained glass windows had been blown to bits. Only a few jagged pieces of glass clung to the iron frames that once held the panels in place.

"Wait!" Kurama ran back and snatched the gold-framed mirror off the altar. Quickly he leapt over the pews and up the ledge where his companions waited for him. "I'm not leaving without this," he said with a smirk.

Kohana smile ruefully and shook her head. "One track mind."

"Not quite." The youko shot the hanyou a burning glance sideways before jumping into the still night outside the chapel.

Kuronue clucked his tongue and repositioned the kitsune in his arms. "Two track mind, more like it." The chimera spread his wings and soaked out into the darkness, hovering several feet above Kurama's head.

There was a squeak, like the chattering of bats, and without warning the chimera let out a howl. His grip on Kohana loosened and she fell from his grasp to land on the head of the youko below. Kuronue snarled and whirled around, only to let out another yell as something dark and transparent slammed into his stomach.

Immediately Kohana was on her feet, a blade of grass twined in the fingers of her right hand. Slowly the blade grew in length, forming a short sword with a razor sharp edge. Kurama yanked his Rose Whip out of his hair and followed suit as the hanyou began to lash out at the incoming phantoms. He still clutched the Mirror of Stolen Sacrifice in one arm, keeping it out of reach of the shadows. Above them, Kuronue swung his scythe like a madman, but to no avail.

Their weapons slid clean through the shadows without so much as slowing them down. Kohana let out a cry of frustration and moved back until she was pressed up against Kurama. The youko laid a protective hand on her shoulder and squeezed.

"Physical attacks don't work," she said.

"They move too fast, we can't charge up spiritual attacks!" the chimera yelled down to her. "There's only one thing we can do…"

"RUN!"

Kohana flung down her weapon and raced off into the trees, Kurama and Kuronue on her heels. The shadows followed in hot pursuit, tittering and laughing like a flock of banshees. The group crashed through the cherry grove, smacking into limbs and trunks and tearing down any branches that hindered their path. Slowly, the sound of clanging metal and the shouts of demon hunters joined the shrieking of the shadows.

"We are in such deep shit," Kohana murmured as she ran.

A scream cut through the air and she halted, turning to face the direction where it came from. Another scream ripped through the darkness and pierced the hanyou's heart with dread.

_Mother!_

The hanyou shot off into the bamboo grove and out of the thieves' sight.

Kuronue glanced over his shoulder just in time to see Kohana break away. In his desperation to flee the shadows he hadn't heard the scream. He spun around and looked behind him. They had outrun hunters and shadows… for now. "Looks like we're on our own."

Kurama paused beside him. "No one's following her. She'll be alright." He stared down at the mirror in his hands and gave a satisfied smirk. "After you, my friend."

The chimera laughed and the two disappeared into the darkness of the bamboo grove.

* * *

Peals of evil laughter rang from the clearing before Kohana. In its midst kneeled Misao, blood streaming down her face from a gash in her forehead. Before her stood Jekku, his arms outstretched.

"She has done nothing to you. Leave her alone!"

Still laughing, Yokozuki stepped out from the dark shelter of the trees and into the moonlight. "A romance between a demon and demon hunter… a recipe for disaster..."

"I'm warning you Yokozuki…"

The youkai stopped, the expression on his face one of mock shock. "You? Hurt me?" He chuckled. "You're so funny, Jekku…" Yokozuki paused, and his gaze darted into the trees, scanning the darkness that encircled the clearing. "I see we have company…"

Jekku and Misao gazed around the clearing as well.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are, my scrumptious little fox…"

With a blood-curdling cry Kohana emerged from the darkness at Yokozuki's back and flung herself onto the demon. The two fell to the ground, grunting and yelling as they grappled for a weapon. Kohana snagged a blade of grass as they tumbling through the clearing and raised it above her head as the blade began to sharper and elongate.

A tree root jabbed into Yokozuki's back and his body went rigid. Kohana used this opportunity to bring her blade down hard, aiming for his left eyes.

The youkai turned his head and the blade grazed his ear. He reached out, wrapped his fingers around Jekku's ankle and tugged, bringing the ningen down onto his hands and knees. Yokozuki yanked the dagger from Jekku's hand and immediately brought it down into the hanyou's shoulder.

There was a cry of pain from the kitsune as blood gushed from the newly ripped wound, splattering her enemy's face below her. Yokozuki kicked the hanyou in the stomach and knocked her onto her back. Swiftly he moved on top of her and pinned her down, fixing her with his murderous gaze. The dagger remained stuck in her peachy flesh.

"Hanyou Kohana," Yokozuki whispered sweetly, her blood dripping from her face and onto her own. "You don't have to play sweet and innocent with me. I know what you're hiding in those veins of yours…"

He slowly extracted the dagger from Kohana's wound. She bit back a scream of agony as the youkai dipped a finger into her wound then licked the blood off the tip.

He eyed her, one slim green eyebrow raised. "Interesting. Very interesting…" He sat up and cross his arms over his chest, still straddling the hanyou's stomach. She lay with her arms outstretched and her eyes closed, biting her lips to keep from screaming. "You know, none of this would have been necessary if your little friend had stuck to her own species." Yokozuki looked up at Misao, then rounded of Jekku. "And if you had done your job correctly perhaps we could have steered clear of this torrid little affair."

Jekku took a step towards his teammate. "You don't know what you're talking about Yokozuki…"

"Oh I don't?"

"No. You don't know what it's like to love." Jekku planted his feet firmly on the ground, holding himself back from attacking the youkai. "You have no idea what it feels like to have to protect someone, to want to protect them." His hands balled into fists. "You kill and stir trouble for your own amusement, you sick freak! You have no idea what you're talking about!"

Yokozuki stood up and stepped away from Kohana's body. "Have you kept that bottled up inside you all this time? I'm impressed."

"RAAAAAGH!" Jekku shot at Yokozuki, his fist making dead-on contact with the youkai's face.

Blood gushed from the youkai's nose and eyesockets. He reeled backwards, only for Jekku to pounce on him again. Shimmering blue light began to collect around the ningen's body as he continued to pound Yokozuki into the ground, his fluid movements becoming more and more hard to follow as his body's momentum increased.

"I'll make sure… you NEVER… pull that shit AGAIN!" Jekku screamed, kicking Yokozuki in the stomach. "I'LL TROUNCE YOU LIKE A ROTTED MUSHROOM!" he cried, throwing himself on the fallen body of his fellow hunter and grappling with him in the brush.

Kohana sat up, one hand clutching her wounded shoulder. Her biological father sure was odd, but he was one hell of a fighter.

Misao ran to Kohana and kneeled at her friend's side. She ripped a strip of fabric from the hem of her dress and tied it around the hanyou's wounded shoulder.

"Thank you, Misao-chan…" Kohana said, her gaze never straying form the fight.

Now Jekku had stood up and was bringing his foot down again and again on the youkai's stomach. Blood and vomit soaked the youkai's armor and his body twitched with each impact. Finally Jekku ceased his attack and took several steps back.

"Now go," he said quietly, "before I decide to kill you."

The wounded youkai struggled to his feet and continued to cough blood as he retreated backward into the trees. "What does it matter if I live or die?" he panted. "Your friends are probably dead already… Oh well…" he snickered.

With a start Kohana remembered how she had left Kuronue and Kurama alone in the bamboo forest…

The bamboo forest…

Without a word Kohana sprang to her feet and shot into the trees, leaving Jekku and Misao in the clearing, utterly bewildered.

* * *

Kohana's heart was pounding as she entered the bamboo grove. The cold air stung her wound through the bandage, but the hanyou didn't care. Whatever pain she felt now was nothing compared to the pain that everyone would endure later if she didn't…

But what had Koenma said about changing the past? Any alteration to the past can and will change a future event, for better or for worse. There's no telling what her actions had already done…

…But what would be the price of saving Kuronue?

Gradually the kitsune slowed to a halt. She stood motionless, her heart pounding in her ears. Kuronue would so much help to her in the future. Fighting Zoutarou's ghost and helping in the battle against Yokozuki… not to mentioning keeping an eye on her and saving her ass on a countless number of occasions. But somewhere close by he was about to suffer an unconceivable amount of pain and torment. He was going to be stuck through a like a pincushion and made to watch his blood drain from his body. He was going to suffocate in a thick blanket of black darkness, all alone…

He was going to die.

She knew he would come back, and she would be responsible for it. But now…

There was a crack, and a yell, followed by several more cracks and someone screaming. The words were inaudible. She darted forward, her lungs on fire, her eyes burning. Forgetting the searing pain in her shoulder she crashed through the bamboo, listening to the sounds of the youkai hunters come closer and closer…

There was a moan not too far away and several shadows shifted their positions in the dark. The sound of bare feet pounding the soil sounded nearby and receded in the opposite direction, running away from the approaching hunters. Kohana ran three steps forward when her feet splashed through a warm puddle.

She stopped. So did her heart.

_I'm too late…_

The hanyou looked down. In the little moonlight that pierced through the bamboo grove, Kohana could make out the red stains on her bare feet. A thick coppery stench hung in the chilly air.

She stood silently for a minute. Was there anything she could have done? He would come back to her, this she knew… But…

Kohana ran. She did not stop until she had plunged through the bamboo grove and out into the wilderness beyond, safely away from the temple and the demon hunters. She wandered into a forest until she came to a clearing hidden in its depth. There she sunk to her knees, covered her face with her hands and sobbed until the sun pierced through the deadly black night.


	23. Chapter 22 Like Father, Like Daughter

This one's just sweet.

* * *

Chapter 22: Like Father, Like Daughter

When Kohana returned to the den, Kurama had already been there for quite some time. The youko was sitting with his back to the entrance hole, staring into the clear depths of the Mirror of Stolen Sacrifice. The hanyou slid into the main chamber soundlessly, not wanting to disturb his thought.

It was Kurama who spoke first. "How ironic."

Kohana, confused, took a tentative step towards the youko. "What?"

"How ironic this all is…" he chuckled ruefully. "This object's name… 'The Mirror of Stolen Sacrifice.' Sacrifice… It fits perfectly." Kurama stood up and strode across the room without so much as a glance back at the mirror or at Kohana.

The hanyou followed him with her eyes. "I'll go with you…"

"Stay put." Kurama's words were sharp. He paused for a moment in the doorway, his back to her, then continued on his way. "You need to tend that wound in your shoulder."

As the youko walked away, the greatest sting was not in Kohana's shoulder, but in her heart.

* * *

The forest was drenched in silence. No creature stirred, no tree or weed rustled its leaves. Thick gray clouds hung low in the sky, blocking out the sun and bathing Makai in an artificial twilight. The air was humid and heavy, almost stifling, smothering what little sound there was.

It was as if the entire realm knew of the tragedy the previous night had held.

Jekku walked alone. A naked short sword was strapped to his side. Every once and while he stopped and fingered the handle, anticipating an ambush by one or several of his hunting mates.

No, they weren't his mates anymore. They knew his secret. They were his enemies.

He had tended Misao's wounds from the fight with Yokozuki and hid with her in a field of overgrown grass and weeds until morning. Then he had escorted her back to her den to get some rest. The thieves' home had been empty when they arrived.

A sound floated to his ears and the ningen stopped in his tracks, listening intently.

Someone was crying.

Listening intently, Jekku crept towards the sound. The sound led him back to the field he and Misao had hidden in the night before, cradled in the valley between the mountains and just on the outskirts of the forest. He emerged from the trees soundlessly and stopped when he found the sound's source.

Kohana was standing in the field, the high grass immobile without the usual Makai wind. Her back was to him and her arms were wrapped around her torso, hugging herself as she sobbed. Her golden hair looked unkempt and her clothes still sported garnet bloodstains.

Jekku opened his mouth to call her name, but held his breath when Kohana began to speak.

"Stay strong," she was murmuring to herself. "You have to stay strong… For everyone… Don't cry… If you cry you'll get all emotional, and then you won't be able to fight Sanshi, and then… and then…"

Jekku waded out into the grass. "Kohana-chan…"

The kitsune spun around. She looked absolutely shocked to see him; her silvery eyes were wide and her entire body seemed to go rigid. But what shocked Jekku about her appearance was the object in her arms. She wasn't hugging herself; clutched to her chest was the Mirror of Stolen Sacrifice, its surface smeared with fallen tears.

Jekku paused, forcing a smile to his face. "Hey know, where'd you get that pretty thing?"

As much as Kohana wished to be alone, the thought of being alone with her father… her real father… made her heart pound. She cleared her throat and answered, "Kurama and Kuronue stole it."

The ningen moved forward until he was inches away from the kitsune. He ran his fingers over the mirror's surface. "It's shiny. I like it."

The hanyou managed a weak smile.

"What are you doing out here all by yourself?" Jekku asked. He didn't want conversation to falter between them. He needed to talk to her…

"Thinking…" was the terse reply. The kitsune's gaze dropped to the ground.

"Have you seen Kurama and Kuronue since last night?"

The kitsune blinked and raised her eyes to meet his. "Yes."

"How are they?"

Kohana did not answer, but kept her eyes firmly locked with Jekku's.

"Are they alright? Are either one of them hurt?"

Jekku stared hard at Kohana. There was something in her eyes… An emotion had crept into her gaze and was trying to transmit itself to Jekku through her stare. It was as though her heart had taken root in her eyes, baring her soul to him, trying to tell him something…

Slowly, so as not to alarm her, he let his power take over the conversation. He reached out to her with his mind. In his vision, his energy, invisible to her, left him in tendrils and slowly crept into Kohana's head. He could see by the look on her face that she felt the tickle. One silver eye closed and she shivered. The one remaining open narrowed.

"So it's been you all along," she said slowly.

Jekku chuckled and continued to probe her mind, now that she was distracted. "How'd you guess?"

"Extrasensory perception isn't very discreet. I feel like I have brain freeze."

"Brain freeze?" At that moment Jekku found what he had been looking for. A memory: the stench of blood, the earth red and slippery beneath her feet, the sound of someone moaning, and someone else running away…

He pulled back out of her mind, his eye wide. By the look on his face Kohana could tell what he had found. She scrunched up her face to hold back the sob that threatened to erupt from her throat, but tears slipped into her eyes nonetheless.

"Oh Kohana-chan… I'm so sorry…"

"It's not…" The kitsune sniffled. "It's not that…"

"Then… what is wrong?" Jekku closed the gap between them and put his hands on her shoulders. "Why are you crying?"

"I can't do it…" She looked up into his eyes once more, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I just can't do it. I'm supposed to fight Sanshi and I can't… I just can't…"

The ningen smiled softly. "That's exactly what I said when I went to go find my brother."

The kitsune sniffled again. "Hm?"

Jekku put one arm around Kohana and turned so that they faced the open field beyond. "When Nobuyuki was captured, my whole family went into shock. They tried bartering for his freedom with money, jewelry, priceless antiques from Ningenkai… You name it and they probably offered it to captor. But the demon would not give up my brother. I couldn't stand the thought of him out there, being tortured and made to do God knows what… I loved my older brother. In my rational mind, I figured that the price must equal the object in question. We had both been in training as Spirit Detectives, and him being five years older than me, he had the most experience. That doesn't mean he was the strongest, on no… Koenma once told us that we were evenly matched. But back to how I ended up here. I told my family what I was doing, and although they begged me not to do it I went ahead and did it anyway. I came here, found the demon, and offered up my life for my brother. He had a girl waiting back home, one that would undoubted help him father a wonderful family… And I just couldn't take that away from him. If I held the key to his freedom, then I was going to hand it over. So Nobuyuki went back to Ningenkai, and I remained here. Then my demon master was killed and Sanshi found me… You know the rest."

"Wow…" Kohana breathed. "You've been through hell."

"Tell me about it," Jekku continued. "But the hard part was the beginning. All the way here, I kept telling myself, 'You can't, you can't do it, you'll be ripped to shreds or boiled alive or something horrible. You'll get killed and then your journey will be for nothing.' But you know what?" He turned to look at Kohana. "I wasn't ripped to shreds or boiled alive or even mildly harmed. Well, there was that time I broke a couple of bones but it was completely unrelated to anything I did for my demon masters. I fell out of a tree picking fruit. But anyway, the point is… I never gave up." He took the kitsune by the shoulders once more. "And neither should you. If you're anything like me, then you'll go on. And you will succeed."

Kohana smiled as Jekku wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. "Thank you, Jekku-kun."

The ningen smiled and whispered, "Anything for my daughter."

Kohana froze. A thousand thoughts ran through her mind at once… She should have been more careful. How could she have let this happen? Would this alter the future? And worse of all, did he tell Misao too? Did any of the others know as well?

Jekku, sensing her alarm, laughed. "Silly little fox, I can read minds, remember?"

"How long have you known?"

"Quite some time, now. I just didn't want to say anything for fear of scaring you off. You know, that whole 'don't change the past' rule…"

"So you know I'm from the future."

"Now THAT one, my dear, was a no-brainer. How could you be here as an adult AND as a fetus?"

The hanyou giggled. "That's true."

Jekku laughed, and then his expression softened to a look of concern. "You're not angry with me for what I did?"

Kohana blinked and her face went blank. "What did you do?"

"You know…" He glanced around, then said quietly, "Tumblin' your mum?"

The kitsune burst into mirthful laughter. "Why should I be? You brought me into existence."

"I know, I know… But she's a demon, and me being a human and all…" He fixed her silvery eyes with his pale blue ones. "You being a half-breed…"

"No… Dad." The word rolled off her tongue as though she had been greeting him as such all her life. "I don't regret being a hanyou. It's an interesting life… but I sure as hell don't regret it."

Jekku smiled. "That's my girl."

Kohana returned the smile. "I just… wish so many people didn't hate me for it…" She looked down at her feet.

The ningen frowned and raised an eyebrow. "Who hates you for it?"

"Half the demons in Makai."

"Well, that's to be expected," he replied nonchalantly. "It's a fact: demons don't like half-demons. Ningen blood. Makes them want to puke, or… whatever demons do." He waved one hand dismissively. "But what does it matter, we're all the same. Some of us can get by the racial barriers… Take me and your mother." Jekku spread his arms and grinned. "We got you."

"Not yet."

"Alright, I stand corrected. Not yet." He reached out and ruffled Kohana's hair. "Now that we've gotten past that little conversation, why do you have to fight Sanshi?"

The kitsune choked. "Damn, you are nosy!"

"Not nosy. Curious. Besides, I wasn't even looking for it. That thought was in the very front of your mind. And, if I may quote," he imitated her voice, "I can't fight Sanshi, I just can't!"

Kohana heaved a sigh. "There are so many reasons why I need to destroy him… I don't know where to begin."

"Well, I know you're from the future, so…" Jekku crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back, studying her through squinted eyes. "Did he cause harm to you or someone you love in the future?"

A parade of faces flashed through Kohana's mind, thirty pairs of eyes pleading for her success and safe return. Their salvation was in her hands. Everyone who's lives she had touched…

Jekku took her sudden silence as an affirmation. "I see." He uncrossed his arms and relaxed his stance, putting one hand on his hip. "One or many?"

Kohana swallowed, a thick lump forming in her throat. "Many."

"Many, huh. I bet they're all counting on you."

The hanyou closed her eyes and swallowed again, struggling to keep her emotions at bay. "They're counting on a frightened little girl."

"What do you mean, Kohana-chan?"

The kitsune met her father's concerned gaze. "Daddy…" She bit her lip as fresh tears trickled from the corners of her eyes. "What you see is half of me, half of who I am. This is my demon form," she motioned to her body, "and when I am done with it I will revert back to my human body. I'm the same hanyou in either form, but… but what everyone sees, no matter form I am, it's only half of me. One half of two halves that don't fit to make a whole…"

Jekku smiled gently and took the Mirror from the kitsune's hands. He turned it so that the mirrored surface faced her. "Kohana-chan, look into this mirror and tell me what you see."

The kitsune gave the ningen a skeptical look. "But…"

"Just look."

With a deep sigh, Kohana lifted her head to stare at the mirror. A pair of silver eyes stared back at her. The wind picked up and the reflection's glossy golden hair blew in all directions, tickling the mirror's surface and falling into the eyes of both the kitsune and her mirror image. She grunted lightly in agitation and fought the strands with slender fingers.

Jekku laughed. "Here, let me." He set the mirror on the ground and moved behind Kohana. As the wind died down the ningen began to slowly comb his fingers through his daughter's hair. The kitsune sniffled and her insides stopped swirling like the wind. She calmed at the soothing touch of her father's fingers on her scalp, and after a long moment closed her eyes.

Once it was untangled, Jekku took the top layers of her hair and divided them into three clusters. "You know, I learned how to do this so long ago and never got the chance to do anything productive with it." This having been said, the ningen began to slowly plait the hanyou's hair, taking special care to make the braid straight and neat.

Kohana felt her heart seize up. Her father, her true biological father, one of the two people who had created her original being, original spirit, was braiding her hair. She had longed for this moment, when she could tell Jekku who she was, and feel him welcome her as his own…

After a long silence, Jekku, still braiding, asked, "So what did you see?"

"I saw myself," Kohana answered without opening her eyes.

"Then that is who you are." Jekku held the end of the completed braid with one hand and with the other fished through his belt purse. "It doesn't matter what face you are wearing, or what you look like at all. What matters is what's on the inside, because what your heart and your gut tell you to do will be the same thing and be right ninety-nine percent of the time." He extracted a leather tie and proceeded to secure the braid with it. "Human or demon, your desire is the same, and the ferocity with which you seek you goal will be just as intense, no matter what form you are in."

Kohana opened her eyes and reached back to feel the braid. It was perfectly straight with no loose hairs sticking out. She brought it over her shoulder and fingered the leather tie at the end. The wind picked up again and gently pulled the braid out of her hands. Tilting her head back, Kohana saw clouds chasing one another across the darkening sky, racing towards an unknown destination, an unknown destiny…

She turned to face Jekku. "I will fight him, and I will destroy him. I need to set things right."

The ningen smiled softly and took the hanyou by the shoulders. "That's my girl."

Kohana nodded and flung herself into her father's arms. Jekku wrapped his arms around her, stroking her golden head with one hand. Leaning down, he whispered into her ear, "You have my blood running through your veins. You will see this through to the end… and you will come out victorious."

The hanyou, her heart beating fast, let go of Jekku and took a step back. Her gaze locked on her father's and she nodded again, determination burning in her eyes. "I will. I know I will."

"Now that that's settled…" Jekku's aura of seriousness dropped from him and his face lit up in a wry, playful smile. "I believe there is someone who could greatly use you comfort right about now…" When Kohana merely blinked at him, he added, "His name begins with 'K' and ends with 'urama'…"

"Oh." Kohana blushed and bit back a smile. "Dad…" she scolded gently.

Jekku laughed and gave her a playful push. "Go on, now. Loverboy awaits."

Kohana raised an eyebrow. "You approve?"

The ningen shrugged. "I have no say in this matter. I am your father, and who ever listens to their father?"

The hanyou laughed and turned to go.

"Kohana-chan?"

She stopped and turned around. "Yes?"

"Know that I love you."

"I love you too, Dad." A powerful wave of emotion pushed more tears out of her eyes, and with a wave she turned and ran back across the field and into the forest.

Jekku watched her go and, when she was out of sight, bent to lift the Mirror of Stolen Sacrifice out of the grass.


	24. Chapter 23 The Way I Want You

This chapter is dedicated to Kia-chan, who gave me much, MUCH help with it and aided me in getting it off the ground and out to you lovely readers. Arigatou! It's short, but a lot happens… SO PAY ATTENTION!

* * *

Chapter 23: The Way I Want You

"Confess." Kurama was sitting on a pile of boulders at the foot of the mountains, talking to himself. "For your sake and hers… Just confess. Before it's too late…"

For if he didn't tell Kohana now, then when? It was too late for Kuronue and Misao, now that Kuronue had been taken from the world of the living… But what about him and Kohana? What if, in the battles that lay ahead, she was mortally wounded, completely destroyed before he could tell her what was on his mind? What if, thinking she held no worth in the youko's eyes, she charged into battle unannounced and he never saw her again? With the torment that undoubtedly lay in the immediate future…

…Was it not too late for them?

His ears, flattened against his head in pensive anxiety, picked up the sound of rustling grass. They perked up, and he turned to glance down the rocky terrain into the sea of foliage several yards below.

Kohana was making her way towards the hill of boulders. She had cleaned up; her body and clothes no longer sported bloodstains, and her wounded shoulder was bandaged. She stopped at the bottom of the pile and tilted her head back to look up at him.

"Aren't you lonely up there?"

The hanyou was expecting one of the youko's biting remarks, but to her surprise the answer she got was simple and startling: "Yes."

Kohana swallowed, wondering, Is this it? "Do you mind if I join you?"

"Please."

Nimbly the young kitsune scrambled up the rocky incline to a large boulder about a foot above where the youko was perched. She kneeled down and tucked her feet under her, making herself comfortable while Kurama turned around to face her.

"How is your shoulder?" he asked once the two were settled.

"It's healing," Kohana replied. "I cleaned it out and bandaged it just like you showed me."

Kurama nodded, never taking his eyes off the girl above him. The wind picked up, strong and biting, sending a shiver down Kohana's spin and ruffling the clothing and hair of both foxes. The hanyou hugged herself against the cold and looked out over the Makai wilderness.

"It's beautiful here at night."

There was no answer from Kurama, and Kohana said nothing more.

The silence that followed was unnerving for both of them. Kohana continued to stare out at Makai, spread out below them like a blanket. Forests, mountains, lakes and rivers, all were laid bare for her to see. In the distance, stone structures poked up over the horizon, jutting into the sky like arrows locating the stars. How could such a dangerous place be so gorgeous…

"Don't cry."

"Hm?" Kohana looked down at Kurama, startled from her state of observation.

"You scrunched your face up the same way you do right before you cry. I don't like to see you cry."

Kohana was at a loss for words.

Kurama sighed, mustering up the courage to speak his mind. "Kuronue asked me once if I wanted you."

It was out there. There was no turning back.

"…What did you say?"

"…I didn't answer."

Another deafening silence followed. Kohana played with the braid Jekku had plaited into her hair, her eyes focused downwards on the rock she was sitting on.

"I do want you."

Kohana's head snapped up and her eyes met golden orbs burning with desire… But a desire to do what?

Kurama sensed the alarm in the hanyou's expression reached out to take her hands in his, shaking his head fiercely. "No, you misunderstand. I do want you… But, the way I want you…" He paused for a moment, unable to find the words. Then he bowed his head and chuckled, letting go of Kohana's hands. "This is all new, you must forgive me if I seem a little speechless."

"Kurama..." Kohana bit her lip, choosing her words carefully. "Kurama, I…"

"No." The youko pressed one muscular finger against the hanyou's lips, silencing her. "Let me finish." He removed his finger from her mouth and stood up so that he was now only a head higher than Kohana, looking down into her face. He took a step towards her and Kohana, somewhat alarmed and nervous, scrambled backwards, her legs poised in front of her and ready to kick the youko down the hill, if necessary.

"Kurama, what are you doing?"

The youko reached out and grasped her firmly by the waist, pulling her back towards him. Her legs dangled over the side of the rock and she gripped the edge, her nails scraping against the rough stone.

"Kurama…"

"Shhh…" The youko pulled her closer until he was looking directly down into her eyes. "I want you, but the way I want you…" With one quick movement he had her firmly against him, his arms clasping her tightly against his chest.

Kohana, shocked by this sudden show of affection, was relieved… and comforted… by the tenderness in his embrace. This was so out of character for the devious youko…

Kurama stared up at the starry sky beyond her. "The way I want you is happy, and smiling, unafraid and untormented. I want you to be able to live without the fear of being hunted down and killed, in a place where I can always protect you, where you will always be there to talk to, to hold, to comfort, to make me laugh…"

The youko loosened his grip on the hanyou, enough so that she could tilt her head back to look into his face. Kohana slid her arms under his and up his back to grasp his shoulders, forcing him to bend over closed to her. "You're brave to admit such things to me," she whispered.

"And you're brave to not run away."

"Why would I run away?"

The youko searched the hanyou's eyes for an answer, but found none. Instead he was met with the same emotion that resonated from his being, from his very heart and soul… He opened his mouth to speak again, but nothing came out. His tongue had gone try and his throat had constricted so painfully he struggled to draw breath.

Kohana's expression turned to one of mute exasperation. "Kurama, come out with it, or I'll

castrate you."

Kurama gathered Kohana in his arms and kissed her.

Kohana's heart felt as though it would burst through her chest. She took the youko's face in her hands, running her fingers down his smooth cheeks without breaking the kiss. Kurama wound his fingers in the hanyou's hair, letting each silky strand slide through his fingers like molten gold.

After a long, breathless moment, the foxes pulled away and took a moment to fill their lungs with air. Kurama, panting softly, gazed down at his love. Her cheeks were stained with a crimson blush.

Kurama was smiling as he murmured, "I want you as my own."

The words spilled from Kohana's lips before she could stop them: "But why?"

Kurama seemed to pause, taken slightly aback at this question. "Why?" His golden eyes searched her face as he took a step back. "Does anyone need a reason to love?"

The hanyou slid off the rock, landing on her feet before the youko. She was shaking her head fiercely, fresh tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. "No, because I love you, and I don't know why either." She gently pulled Kurama's face towards her and planted a swift and simple kiss on his lips.

Kurama moved to sit on the rock, pulling Kohana into his lap and pressed his mouth to hers once more. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled away to nuzzle his cheek. Once they were settled on the ledge of the rock, the pair moved to look at each other. For one long, loving moment, the two expressed in silence what they could not in words: their love, their fear of the future, the question… How long will this happiness last?

It was Kohana who broke the gaze first to look out over Makai. Stars twinkled in the dark sky above, lights flickered in the villages and cities in the darker world below. Kurama turned to look too.

"What now?" he asked softly.

"We wait for dawn."

_The last dawn I have…_Kohana thought. _Tomorrow… I do it. I destroy Sanshi._

* * *

Some distance away, the campfires had gone out in the youkai hunters' camp. The smoke rose above the trees in puffy curls, where it was caught by the wind and dispersed over the Makai wilderness. The tents were silent, their inhabitants sleeping soundlessly through the dark hours before dawn.

The only movement was a single figure, creeping low between the tents, unseen under the cover of darkness. The figure held something under one arm. The moonlight bounced off its surface, sending rays of light dancing across the grass and away from the silent figure.

Suddenly the figure stopped. It stood motionless before the entrance to one of the tents nearest the center of the camp. Dying green embers lay in a circle of stones, the last remnants of a fire. The figure, taking special care not to make a sound, crept closed to the tent and pulled back one flap.

Inside lay a hunter wrapped in blankets. It was too dark to distinguish anything except the wrinkles in the fabric and the steady rise and fall of his chest as he slept. Quietly the figure entered and closed the flap behind him. He shifted the object in his hands so that the reflecting surface faced away from him and knelt at the sleep hunter's feet.

The figure's lips parted in a low whisper. "Mystical power that lies within the depths of this mirror… I summon you to my need."

The surface of the mirror darkened. Smoke as black as pitch clouded its surface and voice, ancient and deep, spoke from within.

"What gift shall you bestow upon me for my summons?"

The figure raked his fingers through his reddish-brown hair and swallowed hard. "A soul."

"Ahhh. A soul. It has been ever so long since I've had a soul. What type of soul is this?"

"The soul of a demon. A very evil demon."

"Show them to me."

Pale blue eyes squinted through the dark as trembling hands repositioned the mirror once more. The black smoke leaked through the gold frame and swirled through the air, settling around the body of the sleeping hunter.

"Is this the one?"

Again the figure swallowed hard. Nothing could undo once the act was completed…

"Yes," he said softly.

"Very well. I shall take what you have so graciously offered."

The black cloud closed in on the sleeping hunter, and with one quick swoop completed covered the hunter's body. There was a gasp, then a scream. The hunter, cloaked in the black smoke, sat bolt upright, screaming and clawing at the thick darkness that engulfed him. There was a sound like the crack of lightning; it seemed to go on for hours. The mirror vibrated furiously in the figure's hands and he fought to keep it steady.

"You will not harm my daughter, Yokozuki…"

Suddenly the black smoke vanished, and the hunter's body fell backwards onto the blankets, panting and drenched in a cold sweat. A wispy white cloud hovered above his body. Slowly, deliberated, it floated across the tent and disappeared into the depths of the mirror.

"This is not the soul that you offered to me," the mirror said. "But I will take it, nonetheless, if not only a portion... For this soul was stolen on the grounds of a grave error." Then the mirror was silent.

The figure dropped the mirror. _…The grounds of a grave error?_

The attacked hunter slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes. Outside, fires had been lit and lights had gone on in many of the tents in response to his tortured screams. In the light of the flickering fires, the hunter pushed ink-black hair out of his face and stared down at his hands. After a moment he glanced at the mirror laying on the floor. The eyes that stared out of the smooth, pale face were clear as water; they were nothing but a black dot in a sea of white, shot through with spidery red veins.

The attack had been meant for Yokozuki. But Touhin Zoutarou had been the victim instead.

Without a moment's hesitation, Jekku grabbed the mirror off the floor, leapt through the tent's opening, and sped out of camp before anyone noticed he was there.


End file.
